Kitchen Recipe Collection
Ci Fan Tuan (Sticky Rice Roll)
A hearty, portable Shanghainese breakfast. Hot, chewy glutinous rice wrapped tightly around a crispy fried dough stick, pork floss, and pickled vegetables.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- 1 1/2 cups glutinous rice (sticky rice)
- 1/2 cup purple or black glutinous rice (optional, for color)
- 2 Youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks)
- 1/2 cup pork floss (Rousong)
- 1/4 cup pickled radish, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled mustard greens, chopped
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Equipment
- Steamer basket with cloth liner
- Sushi rolling mat or thick kitchen towel
- Plastic wrap
Instructions
- 1
Soak the Rice
Wash both types of glutinous rice and soak them in water overnight.
- 2
Steam the Rice
Drain the rice. Line a steamer with a damp cloth, spread the rice evenly, and steam for 30 minutes until chewy and translucent.
- 3
Prepare the Youtiao
If using leftover Youtiao, toast them in the oven for 5 minutes until crispy again.
- 4
Prepare the Pickles
Finely chop the pickled radish and mustard greens.
- 5
Lay out the Wrap
Place a piece of plastic wrap over a sushi rolling mat or a thick towel.
- 6
Spread the Sticky Rice
Using a wet spatula, spread a thick, even layer of hot sticky rice onto the plastic wrap into a rectangular shape.
- 7
Add Sesame and Floss
Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over the rice, followed by a generous handful of pork floss in the center.
- 8
Add the Pickles
Add the chopped pickled radish and mustard greens on top of the pork floss.
- 9
Place the Youtiao
Place one crispy Youtiao directly in the middle of all the fillings.
- 10
Roll the Rice
Use the mat/towel to lift the edges of the rice over the Youtiao, enclosing the fillings completely.
- 11
Squeeze Tightly
Twist the ends of the plastic wrap like a candy wrapper and squeeze the rice roll very tightly to compact it.
- 12
Slice and Serve
Unwrap, slice in half if desired, and serve immediately while the rice is hot and the Youtiao is crunchy.
Cooking Tips
- You must assemble the Fan Tuan while the rice is still steaming hot, otherwise it won't stick together.
- Keep a bowl of water nearby to dip your spatula/hands into; sticky rice is notoriously difficult to handle when dry.
Variations
- Sweet Fan Tuan: Omit the savory fillings and use only sugar and black sesame powder wrapped inside the rice.
- Taiwanese Style: Add a fried egg or braised egg inside the roll.
Nutrition Estimate
450 calories · 14g protein · 75g carbs · 10g fat · 3g fiber per serving
