Dongbei Nuo Mi Chang

Nuo Mi Chang is the Dongbei answer to the universal love of stuffed sausage — natural pork casings packed with fragrant glutinous rice, diced pork fat, dried mushrooms, and warm spices, then steamed until tender and finished on a smoking grill or in a hot pan until the skin crisps and blisters. It is a fixture of Northeast Chinese winter markets and family new year feasts, and every household has its own ratio of fat to spice.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) natural pork sausage casings, cleaned and soaked
• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) glutinous (sweet) rice, soaked 4 hours and drained
• 150g (5 oz) pork back fat, cut into 5 mm dice
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted and finely diced
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp (5 ml) five-spice powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) white pepper
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

Instructions

1. Combine drained glutinous rice with pork fat, shiitake, soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, white pepper, salt, spring onion, garlic, and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly. The filling should be just barely moist — the rice will absorb liquid as it steams.
2. Tie off one end of each casing. Using a sausage funnel or piping bag, fill each casing loosely with the rice mixture — only two-thirds full, as the rice expands significantly during steaming. Tie off the other end. Prick the sausages all over with a pin to prevent bursting.
3. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 40–45 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the casing is firm. Rest 10 minutes before proceeding.
4. To finish, heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook sausages, turning every 2 minutes, for 8–10 minutes until the skin is golden, charred in spots, and crisp. Alternatively, grill over charcoal for a smoky finish (5–6 minutes per side).
5. Slice on the bias into 1.5 cm rounds and serve with a dipping sauce of chilli vinegar or light soy sauce with ginger.

Cook's Notes: Steaming ahead and refrigerating makes the sausages firmer and easier to slice. The grilling step is non-negotiable — it transforms the sausage from soft and starchy to something entirely different in texture. Smoked sausages can be made by hot-smoking at 80 °C (175 °F) for 30 minutes after steaming.