CLAY POT CHICKEN RICE

SERVES 4, OR 6–8 AS PART OF A SHARED ASIAN BANQUET

This is a cross between boiled and fried rice. The rice takes on great flavour and you can add any favourites to the dish such as dried shrimp, bacon, bamboo shoots or water chestnuts.

400 g (14 oz/2 cups) long-grain rice, washed

600 ml (21 fl oz) chicken stock

4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into small dice

1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), sliced

6 dried black shiitake mushrooms, soaked, simmered until cooked, then quartered

4 cm (1½ inch) piece fresh ginger, julienned

1 spring onion (scallion), green and white part, julienned

MARINADE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon sesame oil

3 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

3 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)

Soak a small clay pot in water for 24 hours before using for the first time.

Put the rice and stock in the clay pot, cover and cook over low heat with a heat diffuser if you have one for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken, mixing well.

Spread the marinated chicken, Chinese sausage, mushrooms and ginger on top of the rice. Cover and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Mix everything through the rice, sprinkle with the spring onions and serve.

NOTE: I like to mix in a beaten egg when I’m folding all the ingredients through the rice at the end. It gives the dish a luscious texture that I adore.