With 100 recipes, this is the first book to explore the vibrant food culture of Macau—an east-meets-west melting pot of Chinese, Portuguese, Malaysian, and Indian foodways—as seen through the lens of the cult favorite Chicago restaurant, Fat Rice. 
 
An hour’s ferry ride from Hong Kong, on the banks of the Pearl River in China, lies Macau—a modern, cosmopolitan city with an unexpected history. For centuries, Macau was one of the world’s greatest trading ports: a Portuguese outpost and crossroads along the spice route, where travelers from Europe, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and mainland China traded resources, culture, and food. The Adventures of Fat Rice is the story of how two Chicago chefs discovered and fell in love with this fascinating and, at least until now, unheralded cuisine. With dishes like Minchi (a classic Macanese meat hash), Po Kok Gai (a Portuguese-influenced chicken curry with chouriço and olives), and Arroz Gordo (if paella and fried rice had a baby), now you, too, can bring the eclectic and wonderfully unique—yet enticingly familiar—flavors of Macau into your own kitchen.

ABRAHAM CONLON and ADRIENNE LO are the chefs and co-owners of the popular Chicago restaurant Fat Rice. They have awards and recognition from the James Beard Foundation, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Eater, and many others. In 2018, Abraham was named Best Chef: Great Lakes by the James Beard Foundation. 

HUGH AMANO is a writer and the former sous chef of Fat Rice.

CONTENTS 


Introduction 1 
Equipment and Techniques 19 

1 Achar e Conservas 
Pickles and Preserves 31 
Esmargal (Mackerel Pickle) 33 
Sweet Soy Burdock 34 
Ramp Pickle 34 
Charlie’s Peanuts 37 
Lemon Achar (Preserved Lemon Pickle) 38 
Singapore Sour Cabbage 39 
Diabo Pickle 40 
Ginger Achar (Ginger Pickle) 41 
Jumpwater Pickle 44 

2 Entradas 
Appetizers 47 
Curried Vegetable Chamuças 49 
Minchi (Minced Beef and Pork) Croquettes 53 
Potstickers Royale with Crispy Crepe 59 
Brinjal Sambal (Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Eggplant) 64 

3 Arroz 
Rice 67 
Arroz Gordo (“Fat Rice”) 69 
Coconut Rice 75 
Basic Fried Rice 77 
Baked Pork Chop Rice 82 

4 Massas 
Noodles 85 
Lacassà (Macanese Rice Vermicelli Stir-Fry) 86 
Sopa de Lacassà (Rice Vermicelli Soup with Prawns) 92 
Fat Noodles 94 
Fat Noodles with XO Sauce 97 
Fat Noodles with Mushrooms and Egg 103 

5 Legumes 
Vegetables 105 
Dry-Fried Asparagus with Minchi and Peixinhos Fritos 107 
Stir-Fried Greens with Green Papaya, Mushroom, and Mackerel Pickle 110 
Malay-Style Vegetable Curry 114 
Tchai de Bonzo (Buddha’s Delight) 119 
Bebinca de Rabano (XO Daikon Cake) 122 

6 Piexe e Mariscos 
Fish and Seafood 125 
Empada de Peixe (“Macanese” Fish Pie) 126 
Crazy Squid Rice 132 
Chilli Prawns 136 
“Portuguese” Barbecued Seafood with Big Ben’s Sambal 139 
Bacalhau de Vóvó (Salt Cod Spread) 141 
Bacalhau al Forno (Oven-Baked Salt Cod) 144 
Salade de Tau-Fu com Chatchini de Bacalhau (Soft Tofu Salad with Crispy Golden Salt Cod “Chutney”) 146 
“Portuguese” Barbecued Clams 153 
The Chilli Clam 154 
Curry Crab 162 
Camarãoes com Caril de Quiabo e Tomate (Shrimp Curry with Okra and Tomato) 166 

7 Aves 
Birds 169 
Galinha à Africana (“African” Chicken) 171 
Macau Roast Pigeon 176 
Po Kok Gai (“Portuguese” Chicken Curry) 181 
Pato de Cabidela (Duck Cooked in Blood) 187 

8 Carnes 
Meats 191 
Porco Balichang Tamarindo (Pork Braised with Tamarind and Balichão) 193 
Porco Bafassa (Smothered and Roasted Turmeric Pork Shoulder) 199 
Capela (Macanese Meat Loaf) 203 
Char Siu (Cantonese Barbecued Pork) 205 
Tacho (Macanese Boiled Dinner) 209 
Zhu Pa Bao (Macau’s Famous Pork Chop Bun) 215 
Salada de Orelhos de Porco (Pig Ear Salad) 216 
Porco Po Bolacho (Powdered Biscuit Pork Chop) 219 
Diabo (Devil’s Curry) 221 
Curried Beef and Tendon with Turnip 229 
Minchi (Macanese Minced Meat Hash) 230 
Rabo de Boi Estufado (Stewed Oxtail with Tomatoes and Portuguese Wines) 233 

9 Doces e Sobremesas 
Sweets and Desserts 237 
Macau Rice Crisp 239 
Serradura (Macau’s Famous Sawdust Pudding) 240 
Hong Kong–Style French Toast 242 
Batatada (Macanese Potato Cake) 247 
Sweet Potato Batatada 251 
Almond Gelee 252 
Cocoa-Nut Gelee 255 

10 Building Blocks 257 
Balichão (Macanese Shrimp Paste) 260 
Chicken Fat Croutons 261 
Fried Rice Rice 261 
Pork Chops in Brine 262 
Papo Seco (Portuguese Bread Rolls) 264 
XO Sauce 268 
Molho de Aziete, aka Mojo (Oil and Garlic Sauce) 270 
Portuguese-Style Tomato Sauce 271 
“Portuguese” Curry Sauce 272 
Refogado (Portuguese Soffritto) 273 
Chilli Oil 274 
Sambal Tumis (Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Sambal) 275 
Peixinhos Fritos (Tiny Fried Fish) 276 
Tea Eggs 277 
Vitor’s Curry Paste 278 
Macau Hot Curry Powder 279 
Malacca Sweet Curry Powder 280 
Five-Spice Powder 280 
Vegetable Stock 281 
Chicken Stock 282 
Pork Stock 283 
Vegetarian Wok Sauce 284 
Pork Wok Sauce 284 
Umami Juice 285 
Tamarind Extract 285