CLAY POT RICE

Ingredients:

Topping option 1

• 2 links Chinese sausages

Topping option 2

• 2 pieces skinless, boneless chicken thighs – about 7oz/200g
• 1 tablespoon julienned ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground white pepper

For the rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice – about 7.5oz/215g
• 1 cup water – or unsalted stock

For the sauce

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

You also need

• 2 stalks scallions – finely chopped

Instructions:

Prepare the meat

1. Option 1: If using Chinese sausages, rinse them with hot water to remove any dust.
2. Option 2: If using chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces, then marinate with ginger, cornstarch, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, and white pepper for about 10 minutes.

Cook the rice

1. Rinse the rice under runny water then drain well. Put it into the pot along with 1 cup of water.
2. Cook over medium-low heat uncovered until the water levels with the rice (watch attentively to avoid drying out the water).

Add the topping

1. Place the topping, either the whole links of sausages or the marinated chicken, over the rice (do not overlap the meat). Cover with a lid.
2. Turn the heat to the lowest. Leave to cook for 10 minutes or so (see note 3). 

Scorch the rice

1. Pour a little neutral-flavored cooking oil all along the lid of the clay pot (see note 4). Turn the heat up to medium and continue cooking to scorch the bottom of the rice. If you’re using a gas cooker, try tilting the pot at different angles to heat the side.
2. Once you sense a little smoke or a subtle burnt smell, remove the pot from the heat immediately (The scorching process took me about 4 minutes).
3. If you use sausages, take them out at this moment and cut into thin slices. Put them back in the pot.

Season & mix

1. While waiting for the rice to cook, mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Add it to the cooked rice and meat along with chopped scallions.
2. Serve the dish in the pot. Toss and mix thoroughly and enjoy it immediately.

NOTES

1. You may also use a cast iron pot or a regular pot with a heavy, thick bottom. Follow the same method to cook. But you wouldn’t be able to tilt the pot to scorch the rice on the side.

2. You could use a rice cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe if you don’t care about getting the scorched rice base. Put in the rinsed rice and the meat together and use your usual rice-to-water ratio.

3. Depending on the performance of your cooker and the nature of your pot, the cooking time may vary slightly. Please feel free to adjust.

4. The lid of my clay pot isn’t that tight so the oil flows inside quickly. If your lid is very tight, you may need to briefly open the lid and pour the oil along the perimeter of the pot (remember to put the lid back on quickly to retain the heat).