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Fan Tuan (Taiwanese Burrito)
Fantuan, or what my family always called the Taiwanese burrito, was one of my favorite breakfasts growing up. It actually started in Shanghai but made its way to Taiwan in the 1940s and became a huge part of breakfast culture there. On lucky mornings when we had time for a treat before school, we'd swing by 99 Ranch and grab one off the hot bar for a couple bucks. Piping hot, total texture heaven: sticky rice wrapped around crispy Chinese donut, fluffy pork floss, shredded pickled mustard greens, and radish. I'd start eating it the second we got in the car and it genuinely made my whole day.
I still have to get one every time I'm back in Taiwan, where most stalls let you customize with extra fillings if you want to get fancy. It's usually paired with soymilk, but since I'm allergic I always go for mijiang, a thick sweet drink blended from rice and roasted peanuts. This is my take on the version I grew up craving.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150g) long-grain glutinous sticky rice
- 1/4 cup (50g) purple or black glutinous sticky rice
- 1 packet pickled mustard greens (use part, save leftovers)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 1 tsp monkfruit sweetener (or sugar)
- 1 pack zha cai (榨菜)
- Pork floss, to taste
- 4 mini fried dough sticks (99 Ranch), or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the rice: Add both rices to a large bowl, cover with cold water, and rinse with your hands; the water should turn cloudy. Drain and repeat 5 to 6 times, until the water is only barely cloudy.
- Soak: Cover with room-temperature water and soak for 4 hours.
- Steam the rice: Drain the rice and rinse once more. Line a steamer basket with damp cheesecloth, add the rice in an even layer, and poke a few holes through it. Fold the cheesecloth over the top. Set the bamboo steamer over boiling water and steam about 30 minutes.
- Cook the mustard greens: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium. Add the diced mustard greens and sweetener and sauté over medium-low until slightly dried out, 7 to 10 minutes; lower the heat if needed so it doesn't burn. Remove and set aside. You won't need all of it for the fan tuan, so save the rest for another dish (stir-fries, soup, congee, etc.).
- Sauté the zha cai: Add a little oil to the pan over medium heat. Toss the zha cai until warm and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove.
- Air-fry the dough sticks: Cook the mini dough sticks according to the package instructions.
- Assemble: Set up a large cutting board topped with a sheet of plastic wrap. Spread the rice into a thin 1/4-inch rectangle, leaving a border to hold everything together. Down the center, layer pork floss, mustard greens, zha cai, and 2 dough sticks. Lift the bottom edge of the plastic wrap and roll tightly upward, squeezing into a tight log.
- Repeat with the remaining rice and filling. Enjoy!
Notes
Eat these fresh. As sticky rice cools, the starch firms up and the rolls turn from soft to dry within an hour or two, so assemble at the last minute. Soaking the rice and steaming it (rather than boiling) is what gives the rolls their tender, glutinous bite. The purple rice bleeds into the white as it soaks, creating a lavender ombre when sliced.
The zha cai didn't make it into the video, but it's SO good in here, highly recommend it. It comes pre-cut in thin strips, so it just needs a quick sauté of its own.