Stick it to the ones you love with a classic in Taiwan

Glutinous rice is grown widely throughout Asia, from Laos to Bangladesh, Japan and the Philippines. Each country or region has its own traditional glutinous rice dishes, most of which are served during festivals or family gatherings. Taiwan's take on the staple is glutinous oil rice (油饭 yóu fàn), and while this may not sound like the most appetizing of dishes, it is one that many Taiwan people hold dear.

Oil rice is traditionally included in Taiwan family feasts for special occasions -especially the month-long celebration of a newborn baby -but its perennial presence on various snack stalls and night markets all over Taiwan bears testament to its universal appeal.

Part of its popularity stems from the ease with which you can make it -with just a few humble ingredients and techniques that even the most basic home cook can master, you can rustle up a lovely, steaming bowl of this intensely fragrant and carb-heavy comfort food.

Rice is obviously the primary ingredient, and it is important to note that "glutinous" describes the texture and consistency of the rice, but does not mean that it contains gluten. Like most forms of rice, the glutinous variety is safe for gluten-intolerant people to consume.

Glutinous or "sticky" rice can be eaten with or without its husk, and can also be ground to flour or made into a paste or gel, ensuring a near endless variety of culinary options! Unsurprisingly, these have been utilized fully in a range of Chinese cuisines, and glutinous rice is used as the centerpiece for several traditional dishes.

In the north, niangao (年糕), or sticky rice cake, is commonplace at Chinese New Year, while tangyuan (汤圆), dumplings made from glutinous rice flour, can be found pretty much all over the country during Lantern Festival, when they are eaten to symbolize the reunion of family.

Moving south, zongzi (粽子), or glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, is perhaps the most famous of the glutinous rice dishes, and is commonly associated with the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 duān wǔ Jié), when it is served sweet or savory, with fillings as varied as meat, egg yolk, lotus seed paste and mushrooms.

Oil rice is basically savory zongzi, without the hassle of the bamboo leaf wrapping. Instead, oil rice can be stuffed into bamboo stalks, which make for an easy, eco-friendly lunchbox.

Like pizza for Italians or meatballs for Swedes, oil rice for people in Taiwan is at once typically Taiwan and yet also differs according to region. The dish is open to personalization -every region has its own interpretation and every family has their own secrets or ingredients that make theirs "the best." Some include pork, some add dried shrimps, some make their version entirely vegetarian and still others use a mixture of all of the above.

The fact that it is so easily adaptable to personal preference also makes it a great dish to share with friends so you can see what they come up with!

Courtesy of The World of Chinese, www.theworldofchinese.com

The World of Chinese

(China Daily 10/26/2012 page19)