Rice with white radish (萝卜饭)

Last Updated on October 22, 2023 by Simon Fan

This rice dish, called luobo fan (萝卜饭) in Mandarin, is a specialty from the city of Quanzhou (泉州) in southern Fujian Province. Pairing rice with white radish was probably done out of necessity because historically rice was quite expensive and radish, a much cheaper ingredient, was used as a filler. With dried mushrooms and shrimp to add layers of flavor to the rice and radish, the locals were able to create an incredibly satisfying dish. Generations later, luobo fan is still among the most beloved dishes in Quanzhou.

You can find many dishes like luobo fan, created out of frugality and ingenuity, in Chinese cuisine and other cuisines around the world, such as the famous cucina povera dishes from Italy. They have timeless appeal partially because they evoke nostalgia but mostly because they taste great and make us happy.

Nowadays sliced pork belly is often added to luobo fan, but you can skip it if you want to keep your dish meatless. Some recipes include dried scallops for a touch of luxury. Feel free to tweak my recipe below to your liking. Keep in mind that you would need slightly less water than you normally do for making plain rice, as the radish releases some water during cooking.

Quanzhou locals like to garnish their rice with crispy fried shallots. You can make them at home or use store-bought ones (available at Asian markets) as I do here, or use sliced scallions.

Try my other recipes using radish here.

Rice with white radish (萝卜饭)

Services 2

Ingredients

6 oz (170 g) medium-grain rice
4 oz (115 g) white radish
3 oz (85 g) pork belly
⅓ oz (10 g) dried black mushrooms, soaked in warm water until rehydrated, about 30 minutes
⅓ oz (10 g) dried shrimp, soaked in warm water until softened, about 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce, plus more as needed
Salt and pepper
Crispy fried shallots or sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions

1. Rinse the rice and drain well. Peel the radish and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) cubes. Thinly slice the pork.
2. Squeeze out the water from the soaked mushrooms, remove the stems, and cut the caps into slices. Strain the soaking water and top it up to 1¼ cups (adjust the amount of water based on the rice you use; you would need slightly less water than you normally do for making plain rice). Cut the shrimp into small pieces, about the size of lentils.
3. Add the oil to a hot wok or skillet over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the pork and stir-fry until lightly golden on the edges, about 1 minute. Add the mushroom and shrimp and continue to stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the radish and stir and toss until slightly softened, about 30 seconds. Next, add the rice and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce and stir to coat well. Transfer all the ingredients to a saucepan, clay pot, or rice cooker.
4. Add the water, stir to combine, and gently flatten the surface of the mixture with a spoon or spatula (the water should cover the ingredients). Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring the mixture midway through, until the rice is just cooked, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, or mix in additional soy sauce if you like. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Service the rice garnished with the shallots.