Khao Op Kun Chiang
ข้าวอบกุนเชียง·(khao op kun chiang)
The Thai Rice Cooker Savior (Office Lunches & Mini-Fridge Mains)
A twenty-dollar rice cooker and a vacuum-sealed pack of Kun Chiang fill a first-generation home with a distinct, intoxicating scent when the machine is working overtime on a batch of Khao Op Kun Chiang. Though the dish is traditionally built in an earthenware clay pot, the modern Thai home cook knows the electric rice cooker does the job just as well on a Tuesday night—the secret isn't the hardware, but a crucial five-minute prep: rendering the sweet Chinese sausage, blooming the aromatic paste, and toasting the raw grains in the savory fat before ever hitting the cook button. Close the lid and walk away until the switch clicks to warm.
Before you start
Hydrate the dried umami agents.
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp into a heat-proof measuring jug and pour 2 cups of very hot water over them. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes until plump. Squeeze excess water from the mushrooms back into the jug, discarding the stems and slicing the caps. Strain and reserve this liquid to cook the rice.
Pound the aromatics.
In a mortar and pestle, pound the white peppercorns, garlic, and cilantro stems until they form a coarse, fragrant paste.
Ingredients
- medium dried shiitake mushrooms6
- medium dried shrimp2 tbsp
- Thai jasmine rice1 1/2 cup
- garlic3 large
- whole white peppercorns1/2 tsp
- cilantro stems1 tbsp
- Chinese sausage2
- boneless pork shoulder4 oz
- carrots1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- oyster sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- light soy sauce1 tbsp
- Thai seasoning sauce1 tbsp
- dark sweet soy sauce1 tsp
- sugar1/2 tsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
- green onions2 med
Method
- 01
Render the sausage and bloom the aromatics.
Place a skillet over medium heat with the neutral oil and add the sliced Chinese sausage. Cook for about 2 minutes until it releases its reddish fat and the edges caramelize, then push the sausage to the side and drop the pounded aromatic paste into the hot fat, sautéing for 30 seconds.
- 02
Sear the pork and toast the rice.
Add the pork, sliced mushrooms, and soaked dried shrimp to the skillet, stirring until the pork is no longer pink. Toss the drained, uncooked rice into the skillet, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes so every single grain is coated in the fragrant, sausage-infused oil.
- 03
Prepare the rice cooker.
Transfer the entire mixture into the rice cooker bowl and add the diced carrots. Whisk together the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, Thai seasoning sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, then pour it over the rice.
- 04
Add the reserved mushroom liquor and cook.
Measure the reserved mushroom soaking water to match the exact liquid volume your rice cooker requires for 1 1/2 cups of rice (usually about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups total liquid), making up any difference with plain water. Pour into the rice cooker, stir gently, and start the cook cycle.
- 05
Rest the rice before serving.
When the machine finishes, do not open the lid; let it sit on the warm setting for 10 to 15 minutes to evenly redistribute the moisture. Open the lid, gently fold the rice from the bottom up, and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and green onions.
Notes
Do not skip washing the rice.
Jasmine rice is coated in highly amylopectin-rich starch dust that turns to glue if boiled without thoroughly rinsing it first.
Sourcing cilantro roots.
If you cannot find cilantro sold with the roots attached, the thick bottom stems pounded with a pinch of whole coriander seeds perfectly replicate the flavor profile for an American kitchen.
Missing the clay pot crust?
To fake the traditional clay pot crust in a modern fuzzy-logic cooker, press 'Cook' a second time immediately after the first cycle finishes, leaving it on for exactly 5 minutes before pulling the plug.
From Cook Thai in America.