Finally, an easy one.

Last week, we had a little discussion in this space — or rather, I talked, and a few people listened — about my current overload of requests in the impossible-dream category.

They come from readers who yearn for recipes from restaurants long gone, or for recipes that defy all my research attempts.

I'm making a small amount of progress on that list, thanks to a few helpful readers who offered some leads — more on that next week.

Although, of course, what always happens when I bring this up, a new batch of requests comes in for my hope-springs-eternal file (not helpful, folks). That is a file destined to live forever.

But today, hallelujah, something manageable.

Molly Glessner called looking for the formula for a Chinese mochi-rice stuffing. She had a copy, cut from a newspaper long ago, but her husband threw it out (I hear that a lot). Now, this is a recipe I recognized and knew how to find.

So here it is, from my friend Joan Namkoong's “;Go Home, Cook Rice: A Guide to Buying and Cooking the Fresh Foods of Hawai'i”; (Bess Press, paperback, 2001). I always thought that was one of the world's best cookbook titles. If you're interested in the book, it's offered on back-order at http://www.besspress.com for $20, or Amazon.com lists a few used and collectible copies. Lucky I have my own.

Sticky Rice Stuffing Chinese-Style

4 cups uncooked mochi rice or Thai sticky rice
2 pieces lup cheong (Chinese sausage)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, squeezed dry and diced
1/2 ounce dried shrimp, soaked, squeezed dry and diced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 cup Chinese taro, diced
1/4 cup Basic Oyster Sauce (see note)
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Soak rice in water at least 8 hours, or overnight. Steam 10 to 12 minutes, until chewy, but still firm. (Use a bamboo steaming basket, or place rice on a layer of cheesecloth in a colander and put over pot of simmering water.)

At the same time, steam lup cheong to remove some of the fat. Slice thin.

Heat oil in skillet; add lup cheong. Add mushrooms, shrimp and taro; stir-fry 1 minute. Add oyster sauce and chicken broth; cook 2 minutes. Add mixture to steamed rice; gently combine. Add green onion and cilantro.

Use as stuffing for turkey or chicken. Or return mixture to steamer and steam 5 minutes. Serves 8.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Note: To make Basic Oyster Sauce, whisk together 5 tablespoons oyster sauce with 2 tablespoons mirin and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Makes about 1 cup. Store leftover sauce in refrigerator and use with stir-fried vegetables and meats.

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Nutritional analyses by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Send queries to “;By Request,”; Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Send e-mail to: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).