©Clarkson Potter 2005.From Giving Thanks : Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie
"Turkey filed with sweet or glutinous rice stuffing is a Thanksgiving tradition in many Asian American families. This delicious version of a Chinese American rice dressing is from Susie Ling, a California professor of Asian American Studies and a historian at the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. Susie says this rice dressing is common among families who choose to have a turkey on Thanksgiving. ... The sweet rice is cooked with Chinese spices, aromatics, and a variety of other ingredients including Chinese sausage, peas, giblets, mushrooms, and water chestnuts Many Chinese Americans stuff and steam the turkey, a traditional way of cooking stuffed chickens or ducks. For years, Susie's method has been to cook the dressing in a rice cooker. (She roasts the turkey.) It is also common to buy a roasted marinated turkey from a local Chinese restaurant as one would buy Chinese roast duck or pork."
1 cup dried black or shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup minced scallions (white and light green parts)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons peeled, finely chopped ginger
Giblets from 1 turkey, diced
1 pound Chinese pork sausage, diced (see Note)
1/2 pound fresh water chestnuts, peeled and sliced, or 2 8-ounce cans sliced, drained
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2/ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups glutinous rice, soaked overnight and drained (see Note)
3 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably Chinese
3 cups chicken broth
Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes, until softened. Squeeze to remove any excess water. Cut away and discard the stems and shop the mushroom caps.
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms, giblets, sausage, water chestnuts, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes. Stir in the rice, soy sauce, and broth, mixing well. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, or, if you have a rice cooker, place the mixture in the steamer to cook. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Serve alongside the turkey.
NOTE: Chinese pork sausage is available at many Asian grocery stores. It can be ordered from Asia Foods (877) 902-0841 or www.asiafoods.com. Glutinous rice, also called sweet or sticky rice, is a short-grained rice that become sticky when cooked. It is also available at Asian grocery stores or from Asia Foods. Japanese sushi rice may be substituted, if necessary.