【食譜】簡易上海菜飯 Shanghai Cai Fan (Rice with Salted Pork and Pak Choi)

My grandparents come from the Shanghai metropolitan area, and I practically grew up eating vegetable rice (cai fan). When I was young, I didn’t particularly enjoy it, especially when my mom made it (sorry, Mom 😅). I remember the rice being too soft and the vegetables not looking very appetizing. It wasn’t until I grew older and had been away from home for a long time that I suddenly rediscovered my love for vegetable rice.

The well-prepared vegetable rice is glossy with a delightful fragrance. When paired with salted meat, it becomes even more appetizing, and I find myself easily devouring two bowls of rice alone.

Traditionally we use Chinese pancetta, but you can use Polish boczek or pancetta or if you are vegetarian, just skip the meat. It is best to use pak choi, but you can also try winter greens — both work well.

我爺奶來自上海一帶，從小我幾乎是吃菜飯長大的。小時候其實沒有特別愛吃，尤其我媽做的（不孝女發言😅）印象中飯太軟、菜的顏色也不太好看。真的是要到長很大又搬離家很久之後，才突然又撿拾起對菜飯的喜好。

做好的菜飯米飯油油亮亮帶著一股清香，搭配鹹肉一起吃，可以光扒飯就吃兩碗。英國這邊亞超買得到臘肉，但若想要便宜一點的選擇，我很推薦東歐店做的整塊三層帶皮燻肉。西班牙義大利等地的鹹肉(pancetta)也不錯，總之選擇很多，不怕國外做不出菜飯，而且經濟實惠，又非常簡單好上手。

菜的部分通常都是使用青江菜，但我覺得混著用切碎芥蘭菜或是英國常見的便宜蔬菜winter green效果也不錯，如果你不知道超市買來的winte green（有時候叫spring green) 怎麼煮，可以先來個菜飯入門。吃素的人可以直接把肉拿掉，菜的份量加多，一樣很好吃喔！

【Ingredients 食材】

白飯shortgrain rice 2–3人份 portions

青江菜 pak choi 3大株 whole

鹹肉/臘肉/燻肉 Chinese bacon or Polish boczek or pancetta or something similar 180g

鹽salt 適量 enough

【Steps 作法】

1. 飯照你平常的方式煮熟

Cook the rice according to your usual method.

2. 鹹肉切細條（薄片也可以，隨意），青江菜切碎

Cut the salted meat into thin strips (or slices if preferred), and chop the pak choi into small pieces.

3. 起鍋把鹹肉煎香煎出油，倒入青江菜炒熟。灑鹽調味

Heat the pan and fry the salted meat until fragrant and oil is released. Add the chopped pak choi and stir-fry until cooked. Season with salt.

4. 把煮好的飯拌入，蓋鍋蓋微火再悶5分鐘即可

Mix the cooked rice into the pan, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.

*Note: The vegetable rice still requires some salt for seasoning. The amount may vary depending on the saltiness of the salted meat you used.

＊菜飯還是需要一點鹽分調味，這部分視你買的鹹肉的鹹度而定。

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