You Fan is one of the most comforting and nostalgic dishes for me — and for many Taiwanese people.
In Taiwan, You Fan is a common festive food. We often eat it for special occasions like Lunar New Year, religious festivals, or to celebrate a newborn baby’s first month. In Taiwanese tradition, You Fan is usually given when a baby boy is born, while cake is given for a baby girl. But these days, people don’t strictly follow this custom anymore—You Fan is simply enjoyed to celebrate the arrival of a new baby, no matter the gender!
This dish is all about savoury, umami-rich flavours paired with the delightful sticky, chewy texture of glutinous rice.
I still remember when my grandma cooked You Fan for our regular family gatherings — I could eat bowl after bowl and had to force myself to stop! Her homemade You Fan will always be the best in my heart, truly irreplaceable. Now that I live so far away from my Taiwanese family, making and eating You Fan brings me so much comfort. It reminds me of happy moments and makes me feel close to home again.
By the way, there’s a famous You Fan spot (Lin He Fa Sticky Rice) 林合發油飯 in Taipei’s Dadaocheng 台北大稻埕 that always has a long queue — so you can imagine just how much we Taiwanese love this dish!
What Is You Fan?
You Fan (油飯) literally means “oil rice” — but don’t worry, it’s not greasy. It refers to sticky (glutinous) rice cooked with a rich, savoury sauce and ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, pork, and fried shallots.
You cook the sticky rice separately, then stir-fry the toppings and mix them all together. The result is fragrant, deeply flavoured sticky rice that’s just as delicious warm or even at room temperature.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients — nothing fancy, and easy to find
- Comforting and nostalgic — the ultimate taste of home
- Great for gatherings — perfect for sharing with family or friends
- Can be made in advance — tastes even better the next day!
And trust me: it’s very hard to stop eating this once you start.
Cooking Tips for Making This Recipe
- Sticky rice: If you’ve never cooked glutinous rice before, it can be a little tricky! The rice needs to be soaked first and either steamed or cooked in a rice cooker with just the right amount of water. My ratio of sticky rice to liquid is 1:0.6
- Fried shallots: A key ingredient! I’m using my mum’s homemade fried shallots, but I highly recommend making your own — it’s not hard and the flavour is much more fragrant than store-bought.
- Dried shrimp: Adds so much umami to the dish. You can find dried shrimp in most Asian supermarkets or Chinese grocery stores. They usually come in small packets in the dried goods section.
Where to Buy Dried Shrimp
Look for dried shrimp at any well-stocked Asian supermarket. In London, I usually go to Tian Tian Market , Seoul Plaza, or Wa Na Hong online shop when I look for specific Asian ingredients. They’re small, dried, and add a beautiful savoury depth when stir-fried.
Store any unused dried shrimp in the freezer — they keep for a long time.
I really hope you give this one a try — it’s one of my absolute favourites! If you make You Fan, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below — I’d love to see your version.
And don’t forget to pin or bookmark this recipe for later!
Taiwanese Sticky Rice
Ingredients
FOR STICKY RICE (STICKY RICE TO LIQUID 1 : 0.6)
- 300 g glutinous sticky rice, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight sometimes called sweet rice in the package
- 150 g water
- 30 g rice cooking wine
- A few drops of sesame oil
FOR THE STIR-FRY MIXTURE
- 120 g pork belly, cut into thin strips
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 10 g dried shrimp
FOR THE SAUCE
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp stock seasoning powder optional
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 15 ml shrimp soaking wine (reserved)
- 15 ml mushroom soaking water (reserved)
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1-2 tbsp sesame oil for finishing
- A large handful of crispy fried shallots
- Coriander or spring onions for garnish
- Vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
Prep the dried ingredients
- Soak the dried shrimp in 30g rice wine for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking wine.
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water for 1–2 hours or until softened. Drain, slice thinly, and reserve 15ml of the soaking water.
Cook the sticky rice (I use a cast iron casserole dish)
- Drain the soaked glutinous rice thoroughly, then add it to a cast iron casserole dish with 150g water, 30g rice wine, and a few drops of sesame oil.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, immediately lower to the lowest heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 7–8 minutes.
- After simmering, turn off the heat and let the rice rest with the lid on for 10–15 minutes to finish steaming.
- *If you're using a rice cooker, cook according to your machine’s standard settings for glutinous or sticky rice.
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, white pepper, reserved shrimp soaking wine, and reserved mushroom soaking water.
Stir-fry the toppings
- Heat a little oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried shrimp and mushroom slices, and stir-fry until aromatic and lightly golden.
- Add the pork belly strips and cook until no longer pink.
- Pour in the sauce mixture, bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes to let the flavours meld.
Combine and finish
- Once the sticky rice is ready, add the cooked stir-fry mixture and a large handful of fried shallots directly into the rice.
- Use a spatula to gently break up and mix until the rice is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Finish with 1–2 tablespoons sesame oil, and garnish with chopped coriander or spring onions.
Video
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