Claypot Rice (煲仔饭)

Claypot rice, or bao zai fan (煲仔饭), is the ultimate comfort dish. It is beloved for its rich and smoky crispy rice crust, and savory toppings like Chinese sausage, marinated chicken, and salted fish. It’s a dish we always order when dining in a Cantonese restaurant. It’s often served in small individual claypots at the end of the meal, as the rice course. When cooking at home, we make bigger servings for a one-pot dinner.

Claypot rice is a traditional Cantonese dish where rice is cooked in a clay pot directly over an open flame or stove, often topped with marinated meats and vegetables. As the rice cooks, the ingredients infuse their flavors into the grains while the bottom forms a crispy golden-brown crust. There are many types of toppings, which usually feature one simple protein ingredient. For example, marinated chicken, Chinese sausage, Chinese smoked bacon, and seafood such as squid and salty fish are often used. 

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 lap cheong sausages
• 2 shiitake mushrooms

• 2 boneless chicken thighs , cut into 3/4” (2 cm) pieces
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 shallot , finely sliced
• 3 scallions , sliced into 1” pieces
• 1 ” ginger , sliced
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup mushroom soaking liquid
• 1/3 cup light soy sauce
• 1/3 cup dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil , divided
• 2 green onions , thinly sliced
• 4 stalks gai lan , trimmed and blanched (Optional)