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. Taiwans take on the staple is glutinous oil rice (油饭 y5uf3n), and while this may not sound like the most appetizing of dishes, its one that many Taiwanese people hold dear. Its the food Taiwanese seek when they yearn for a taste of home, and its definitely the dish I turn to when I begin to feel homesick for my mothers cooking. The glutinous texture of the rice mixed with the salty essence of soy sauce and fried shallots never fails to fill me with a sense of familiarity and comfort.

Its also relatively easy to serve up for a crowd, so my mother often made it to appease the groups of hungry friends who would gather in our house. I have taken to following her example, cooking the dish not just when friends are coming over, but also to offer as a gift when visiting other people.

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 its 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 Dragon Boat Festival (端午节Du`nw^ Ji9), 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 (and cute) lunchbox. One of my fondest childhood food memories is of my grandma making a batch of oil rice, which was the cue for my cousins and me to venture outside and look for the perfect piece of bamboo to use as our lunchbox the next day. Our little rice-filled bamboo tubes were multifunctional—they served as weapons to play with on our way to school(much to Grandmas dismay) as well as disposable lunchboxes. We would throw them into the rice cooker when we arrived at class to keep them warm until lunchtime. When the bell chimed for break, I would traipse around the playground searching for a rock to split the bamboo tube open and reveal the steaming savory rice inside, feeling very proud of myself and my Hulk-like strength in doing so. Like pizza for Italians or meatballs for Swedes, oil rice for Taiwanese 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, and 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

oil. Fry the shallots until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, shrimps, peanuts and about one tablespoon of the mushroom water and simmer slightly. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer until the

sauce is reduced by about half. Turn off the stove and put the cooked rice in the wok to mix well. Add more mushroom

water if its slightly dry. When the rice is fully mixed, return it to the rice cooker, but do not turn it on. Allow the rice

to rest for about 10 minutes and then

serve.