Claypot Chicken Rice

Yes I am back, my second son, a healthy little bundle, was delivered via emergency c-section. My mum and eldest sister were here to take care of me but they had a hard time keeping me still as I am not someone who likes to lie down and play sick.  So was up and running almost by the 10th day.

The first time I ate claypot chicken rice was back in 1995.   Its rice is cooked in a clay pot, a small pot of steaming rice with tender pieces of chicken, greens, sometimes mushrooms and an egg served alongside a simple chilli sauce of chillies and soy sauce.
My friends and I used to head to this clay pot rice shop back then, which makes only different kinds of claypot rice. I especially like the crunchy slightly burnt-up rice that's stuck to the bottom of the pot.

I found this recipe in a local  Flavours magazine, in its March-April issue. Even though I couldn't find a clay pot, I used a  ceramic dish, similar in size and shape to a clay pot. A good cast iron pot also works well here.

You can still make it in a good heavy-bottomed pot, but make sure you have a good lid. You can also check out how to make clay-pot chicken rice without a clay pot at Rasa Malaysia,  by clicking here

Claypot Chicken Rice: Adapted from Flavours Magazine March-April 2009 issue

For 3 people

200g chicken, cut into small chunks with or without bone

Marinade  for chicken: A few drops of dark soy sauce
                                    1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
                                     1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
                                     1/2 tsp corn flour
                                    1/2 tsp sesame oil
                                     salt and pinch of white pepper ( don't think of substituting with black pepper as it ends up giving a much stronger taste)
 
150g basmati rice or any other long-grain rice
about 200ml water

Sauce for drizzling into the rice: 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
                                                 1 tsp dark soy sauce
                                                 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
                                                  1 tbsp warm water
                                                1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 spring onions, white and green parts finely chopped for garnish
chilli sauce: 2 green or red chillies finely sliced mixed with    a good helping of  light soy sauce

1. Place the marinating ingredients in a bowl, add the chicken and mix well, leave to marinate for a few hours.

 2. Wash rice well in several changes of water, pour into a suitable pot or clay pot add water and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce heat till the water starts to be absorbed from the top.

3. Once the water is almost absorbed from the top, add the chicken along with the marinade and about 2 tablespoons of the drizzling sauce, cover with a lid and let it cook for a further 10- 15 minutes over a very low heat.

4. Remove the lid, check if the chicken is done, and fluff the rice. Sprinkle with spring onions and serve piping hot with the chilli sauce and some steamed Chinese greens such as bok choy, choy sum, gai lan etc.