Cantonese Clay Pot Rice! (Crispy Rice)

I first had a version of this dish at the now closed, ext-Chicago favorite Fat Rice. The spot specialized in the cuisine of Macau (sometimes known as the Las Vegas of Asia). Macau is an interesting place with influences from Portuguese sailors, surrounding asian countries and, of course, the nearby mega-city of Hong Kong.

The southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi are cantonese speaking (and eating) folks. Just like here in the US (and anywhere else in the world, for that matter), Chinese cuisine varies region by region. This version of the Hong Kong classic Clay Pot Rice is something that I created that sort of, kind of reminds me of that first bite of Diabo Rice I had a fat rice. However in this version I extinguished the devil and opted for something a little more mild (and classic), but feel free to “diabo-itize” things if you’d like a little more spice in your life. I’ve left details in the recipe notes on how to do that if you’re interested.

This recipe calls for a “Seasoned” clay pot. Which just means that we’ve prepped the pot in a way that will keep it from cracking/breaking. You can totally just use a cast iron skillet or another pot, however the clay pot is best for achieving an even and deep crisp on the rice. I hope you dig, let me know if you have any questions. You got this. 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: 4-5

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Hong Kong-style Clay Pot Rice (Crispy Rice)

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken Thigh, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
• 1 tsp Garlic
• 1 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine
• 1/4 tsp White Pepper, ground
• 1/2 cup Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
• 1 cup Water, hot
• 2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce, divided
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cup Jasmine Rice
• 2 Links Chinese Sausage, rinsed and sliced on the bias
• 1 Tbsp Neutral Oil, more as needed
• 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 bunch of Scallions, sliced thin

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, add the dried shiitake mushrooms then pour over the hot water then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to soften and steep for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, add the chunks of bone-in chicken thigh, ginger, garlic, shoaling wine, white pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix and set aside.
3. Remove the mushrooms from the bowl of water and reserve it. Use a knife to slice off the chewy stems and discard then slice the mushrooms thinly on the bias. To another small bowl, mix the sliced mushrooms, one tablespoon of oyster sauce, sugar and cornstarch then set aside.
4. Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the clay pot then cover with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid adding more water to cover by one “fingers joint” if needed. Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered until the water levels are at that of the rice, roughly 10-15 mins.
5. Top with the marinated chicken, Chinese sausage and mushrooms. Cover the clay pot with its lid then reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Turn the heat up to medium, with the lid on, pour in the neutral oil in the crack of the pot so it drips down the sides of the rice and helps it to crisp up. Cook for 4-5 more minutes, carefully rotating the clay pot to ensure all sides are crisping.
7. Remove the pot from the flame. Mix together the remaining tablespoon of oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and toasted sesame oil then pour it over the rice then garnish with scallions. Use a spoon to mix the rice together, ensuring that you mix the toppings and crispy rice from the bottom of the pot and CRUSH!

Adam's Notes

Notes:

• If you’d like to try the “diabo” version of this rice, fold in a couple spoonfuls of your favorite chili oil when adding the sauce. Also, garnish with any chili peppers and fresh herbs that you’d like - think Thai bird peppers and cilantro, etc.
• We recycle the mushroom soaking liquid because it’s filled with umami. Why waste it? However, if you’d like feel free to sub the shroom juice for some chicken stock or even water from the tap.
• To season your clay pot, rinse it clean then submerge it in room temperature water overnight. Remove the clay pot from the water and gently clean with a non-abrasive sponge and a dash of soap. Pat the pot dry with paper towels then coat with a thin layer of neutral oil. Place the pot on the middle rack of the oven at 400F for 25 minutes. The oil should be mostly absorbed but it’s okay if it’s still a little oily.
• Never cook over high direct heat with a clay pot. Only medium-low cooking. 
• Never cook with a cracked clay pot or you could end up with a gnarly mess.