The Adventures of Fat Rice

July 4, 2016
Chicago’s Fat Rice restaurant serves up dishes inspired by the cuisine of Macau, which is to say that more than a half dozen countries hold sway on these recipes. Portugal, which governed Macau for 500 years before Macau became part of China in 1999, is a primary influence, as is China itself (so break out the wok), and there are hints of Brazil, Africa, India, Malaysia, and more. The title dish is a kind of paella with prawns, clams, sausage, and chicken. Chefs and co-owners Conlon and Lo, along with their former sous chef Amano, also offer their interpretations of rice-free entrees such as oven-baked salt cod, African grilled chicken in a tomato and coconut milk sauce, and, for the daring, a pig ear salad served with a garlicky vinaigrette. For dessert there is Hong Kong–style French toast, a deep-fried peanut butter and banana sandwich topped with coconut cream and papaya jam. Dan Goldberg’s rich color photography shares the space with numerous, fun illustrations by Sarah Becan that instruct the reader on such techniques as shaping croquettes and whipping up a stir-fried vegetable side dish. An interesting ingredients glossary closes out the book, highlighting rarities like the candlenut and spilling the secrets of the Sichuan peppercorn (spoiler: it’s not really a peppercorn).

September 15, 2016

A trip to Macau inspired chefs Conlon, Adrienne Lo, and Hugh Amano to open Fat Rice, an award-winning Chicago restaurant known for its unique Portuguese-influenced Asian cuisine. In this fascinating and eclectic restaurant cookbook, the authors employ written directions and comic strips to teach home cooks to prepare bold, spicy dishes such as esmargal (pickled mackerel), fat noodles with XO sauce, crazy squid rice, and Hong Kong-style French toast. Advanced home cooks and professionals can handle the book's more complex recipes, which can require several components to be made over several days. Novices may prefer to stick to easier dishes such as basic fried rice and capela (Macanese meat loaf). VERDICT This impressive introduction to one of Asia's oldest "fusion" cuisines is highly recommended and makes for a fascinating read.

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