Traditional Claypot Rice with Chicken

Method13 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Have the 6 slices ginger ready. Cut the raw chicken thighs (3) into bite-sized pieces without washing raw poultry. Mix with the ginger, 1 tbsp cornstarch, marinade ¼ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp vegetable oil, 2 tsp sesame oil, optional 1 tsp Chinese wine and 1½ tbsp oyster sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

   Cold chicken marination · 20 minUses 3 raw chicken thighs, to cut into bite-sized pieces · 6 slices ginger, for the chicken marinade · 1 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour), for the chicken marinade · ¼ tsp pepper, for the chicken marinade · ½ tsp salt, for the chicken marinade · 2 tsp vegetable oil, for the chicken marinade · 2 tsp sesame oil, for the chicken marinade · 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine, optional, for the chicken marinade

2. 2

   Step 2: Soak the Chinese sausages (2) in their separate hot water for 5 minutes. Drain, remove the casings and slice diagonally.

   Soften the sausage casings · 5 minUses 2 whole Chinese sausages · Hot water, enough to soak the Chinese sausages

3. 3

   Step 3: Shred the preserved radish (½ slice), soak it in its separate water for 5 minutes to reduce excess salt, then drain and squeeze dry.

   Desalt the preserved radish · 5 minUses ½ slice preserved radish · Water, enough to soak the preserved radish

4. 4

   Step 4: Cut the salted fish (1 small piece) into tiny pieces. Wash and chop the spring onions (2 stalks) for garnish. Wash and trim the chye sim and keep the vegetables and garnish separate.

   Uses 1 small piece salted fish, preferably ikan kurau, about an index finger long · 2 stalks spring onions, for garnish · 4–5 bunches chye sim (choy sum) · Clean water, as needed for rinsing the rice, ginger, spring onions and chye sim

5. 5

   Step 5: Rinse the dry jasmine rice (3) with the separate rinse water and drain thoroughly.

   Uses 3 rice cups dry jasmine rice, measured with the same rice cup as the cooking water · Clean water, as needed for rinsing the rice, ginger, spring onions and chye sim

6. 6

   Step 6: Use a large stovetop-safe claypot with secure handles, its lid and a stable support designed for safely tilting it over the heat. Follow the pot manufacturer’s preparation instructions, wear heatproof gloves and stay at the stove during cooking. Add the drained rice, 2½ rice cups cooking water and ¾ tsp rice salt. Stir once and heat over medium-high heat until the water begins boiling; the author’s guide is about 6 minutes.

   Check for the initial rice boil · 6 minUses Only drained washed rice, excluding discarded rinse water · 2½ rice cups water, using the same rice cup as the dry rice · ¾ tsp salt, for cooking the rice

7. 7

   Step 7: As soon as the rice water boils, spread the cold marinated chicken with its marinade, drained preserved radish, chopped salted fish and drained sliced sausages over the rice in one even layer. Keep the rice underneath undisturbed and cover the pot.

   Uses Boiling rice and cooking water · Cold marinated chicken and its marinade · Only drained squeezed preserved radish, excluding soak water · Only chopped salted fish, excluding the vegetables, garnish and rinse water · Only drained sliced sausages, excluding casings and soak water

8. 8

   Step 8: Lower the heat to just below medium and cook covered for about 25 minutes. Using the stable support and heatproof gloves, carefully rotate and tilt the pot onto each of its four sides and back onto its base every 2–3 minutes, as described by the author. Watch continuously and adjust the flame to cook the rice without burning its bottom crust.

   Cook and rotate the claypot · 25 minUses Covered rice with layered raw chicken, sausages, radish and salted fish

9. 9

   Step 9: Carefully open the lid and gently turn only the toppings, keeping the rice underneath undisturbed. Check that the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout and the sausages are cooked through. If needed, continue cooking in the same session until those endpoints are met.

   Uses Claypot rice and cooked toppings

10. 10

    Step 10: Return the pot securely upright, lower the heat, add only the prepared chye sim and cover. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the greens are hot and tender and the rice is cooked.

    Finish the chye sim · 5 minUses Rice and fully cooked meat toppings · Only washed trimmed chye sim, excluding salted fish, garnish and rinse water

11. 11

    Step 11: When everything is cooked, turn off the heat and set the pot securely on a heatproof surface. Add the finishing 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp ready garlic oil and ¼ tsp finishing pepper. Add some of the single 1½ tbsp dark-soy allowance to taste and mix gently with the toppings, reserving the rest for the rice.

    Uses Cooked claypot rice, toppings and greens · 2 tsp sesame oil, to finish the rice and toppings · 1 tbsp ready garlic oil, to finish the rice and toppings · ¼ tsp pepper, to finish the rice and toppings · Some of the 1½ tbsp dark soy sauce, to season the toppings

12. 12

    Step 12: Lift the greens and meat mixture onto a serving plate, leaving the rice and its bottom crust in the pot.

    Uses Seasoned rice, toppings and greens

13. 13

    Step 13: Add more of the reserved dark-soy allowance to the rice only if needed, and gently mix with chopsticks. Garnish with the prepared spring onions and serve the hot rice and toppings together for four, including the golden crisp bottom crust.

    Uses Only the retained cooked rice and crust, excluding plated toppings · Only plated cooked meat and greens, excluding rice left in the pot · Remaining dark soy sauce from the single 1½ tbsp allowance, only if needed · Only prepared spring-onion garnish, excluding salted fish, greens and rinse water