Thai-Style Sausage and Rice Dressing

Chef Thanawat Bates, The Brown Palace Hotel, Denver: "Being from Thailand, I prefer rice over stuffing and pork over turkey, so it makes sense for me to take these Thai flavors and fit them into the American tradition."

Thanawat Bates uses Japanese sticky rice, but any type of sticky rice will work. You can also use a rice steamer instead of a bamboo one.

1 cup sticky rice*

2 tablespoons minced ginger, divided

2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided

1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (tender inner part)

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated

3 Thai chiles, stemmed and chopped

12 ounces ground pork

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons butter

4 green onions, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons Thai basil leaves

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 pound cubed stale sourdough bread

Step 1

Soak rice in 2 cups hot water for 1 hour. Drain rice. Line a bamboo steamer with foil and poke small holes all over the foil with a toothpick. Add rice to steamer. Set over a pot of boiling water and steam until rice is moist and tender, 15 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. Whirl 1 tbsp. each ginger and garlic, the lemongrass, cilantro stems, and chiles in a food processor until chopped and blended, about 1 minute. Mix in pork and salt.

Step 3

Melt butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp. each ginger and garlic, the green onions, and onion, cooking until softened, about 3 minutes. Add pork mixture and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add broth, steamed rice, cilantro leaves, basil, eggs, and bread, tossing to combine.

Step 4

Put mixture in a greased 9- by 13-in. baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 to 40 minutes until hot in the center and browned on top.

Step 5

*Sticky rice is often labeled "sweet" or sometimes "glutinous"; when cooked, it's dense and, yes, sticky. Find it in Asian markets and some well-stocked grocery stores.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0

Amount Per Serving
Calories 342Calories from Fat 30

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 4.7g24%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 607mg26%
Total Carbohydrate 44g15%

Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Protein 15g30%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Thai-Style Sausage and Rice Dressing