Recipe: Stovetop Clay Pot Rice

Stovetop Clay Pot Rice.

Stovetop Clay Pot Rice is cooked in a saucepan vs an actual clay pot. We did some experimenting with this excellent Woks of Life recipe so we could enjoy this autumn Hong Kong comfort dish with lots of prized crunchy bits and without scrubbing a burnt pot. Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:
1 c jasmine or other long grain rice
1 c water
1 T neutral oil
½ piece Chinese bacon, sliced crosswise into bite size pieces*
1-2 links Chinese sweet sausage (lap cheong), sliced crosswise into bite size pieces*
1 link Chinese duck blood sausage, sliced crosswise into bite size pieces*
1 T light soy sauce
1 t dark soy sauce
1 T fish sauce
1 T flavored soy sauce (we used Lucky Boy) or a second T light soy
Generous pinch of white sugar
Generous pinch of ground white pepper
1-2 scallions, chopped

Method: pour a little peanut or other neutral oil in a 2 qt saucepan; tilt the pan so it fully coats the bottom of the pot. Gently (so as not to break the oil seal) pour in 1 c rice followed by 1 c water. Allow to soak for 1 hour.

Cover the pot and cook on medium until steam starts to appear at the edges of the lid. Remove from the heat, place the cured meats on top, replace cover and heat at a simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce by mixing soy sauces, fish sauce and sugar and white pepper in a small bowl.

Remove cover, stir in sauce ingredients, replace cover and heat at a simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in scallions and serve your Stovetop Claypot Rice.

Welcome to the clean plate/unburned saucepan club!

*These are the preserved charcuterie items you’re most likely to find at an Asian market. You can add other items to your preference, such as reconstituted dried mushrooms or a peeled hard boiled egg. (Or break an egg on the rice before serving, while it’s still hot.) This Serious Eats post, which makes clay pot cookery out to be a rather complex process, has ideas.