Claypot Chicken Rice （瓦煲鸡饭）

I have so many backlogs these days it scares me sometimes. :P But I know I just need to plan out my time properly and all will be good.....or not? Nowadays doing a post is a leisure, really. But I know there are people out there that can do way more then I and still make their blog looks like all professional with amazing photos and detailed write-ups.  Anyway, enough ranting, I am better off "ranting" about the recipe I am about to share with you all. The delicious and homey Claypot Chicken Rice. Somehow eating claypot rice just gives me that nostalgic feeling, don't you?

Perhaps it's the way it is served. All tossed and mixed, with that rustic feel. Or perhaps it's the ingredients and taste it has, that resembles a traditional dish served at home. Whatever it is, this is a dish that every household should learn how to make. 一家人吃同一煲饭。

The ingredients are relatively easy to gather, let's take a look at them now:

Ingredients for Claypot Chicken Rice (Serves 4-5 pax)

You will need a 20-22cm claypot

150 g plain rice

150 g glutinous white rice (soaked for 1hr)

1 knotted Pandan leaf

450 ml clear chicken stock or water

2 chicken drumstick, 2 chicken thigh and 2 chicken wings, chopped smaller

3 garlic, peeled minced

8 Shallots peeled and sliced thin, 3/4 to fry till golden crisp, 1/4 to cook with chicken

5-6 slices of ginger

2 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked till soften and chopped

3 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and soften, sliced thin

1/2 Chinese sausage, soaked in warm water, remove casing and sliced thin

Note: Reserve the mushroom soaking water for cooking the rice later. Extra flavouring!

 

Marinate for Chicken

1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine 

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Seasoning for toppings

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sugar

Topping / Garnish

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Crispy fried shallots

2 tbsp sweet dark soy 

• In a mixing bowl, place the chopped chicken pieces, followed by the marinate ingredients. Mix well and let it sit for a good 30 minutes before use.
• Heat up the Claypot with some cooking oil over medium fire. Add in the minced garlic, sliced shallots and the ginger slices, Cook till aromatic and slightly soften.

• Add in the chopped dried shrimp, chinese sausage and shiitake mushroom slices. Cook for a couple more minutes until you can smell the aromatic. 

• Next, pour in the marinated chicken pieces and start cooking together with the other ingredients. Add the Seasoning for Topping. Stir and coat well.

• Cook the chicken mixture still it starts to simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes on low fire.
• Once cooked, remove from the claypot and set aside.

• No need to wash the claypot at this point. Just add in both the uncooked rice, the knotted pandan leaf and 450 ml water / Chicken stock.

• Bring it to a simmer, cover and let cook at low fire for 15-18 minutes. You can peep open after 15 minutes to check if it is cooked. Bare in mind you need to use the lowest fire, else the base will all be burnt. :P

• Remove the knotted pandan leaf. Add the cooked chicken pieces and ingredients all on top.

• Sprinkle the chopped green onion and fried crispy shallots over the top.

Of course the dish will not be complete until you drizzle that black elixir over...I mean sweet dark soy sauce. :P

If this doesn't look good to you...I surrender haha! 

Give it a good toss and mixing...you are ready to eat! So simple to prepare and so delicious too!

You can replace the chicken dark meat to chicken breast for a healthier version. Or a more sinful one will be roast pork. :9 Whichever the variation, the other ingredients can be kept constant. 

Do try it out and let me know how it works for you. Happy cooking y'all!