Singapore Claypot Chicken Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
• 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong), sliced on the diagonal
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 spring onions, sliced, for serving
• 1 tbsp fried shallots, for serving

Before you cook

• Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes until soft, then slice them.
• Marinate the chicken chunks with the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, garlic and ginger for at least 20 minutes.
• Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then drain well.
• If using a clay pot, soak it in water for at least 15 minutes before cooking.

Steps

1. Brush the inside of the clay pot or a heavy lidded pot with the vegetable oil.
2. Add the rinsed rice and the water to the pot.
3. Set the pot over medium heat and bring it to a boil, uncovered.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
5. Cook for 8 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed into the rice.
6. Lift the lid and arrange the marinated chicken, sliced mushrooms and sliced Chinese sausage evenly over the surface of the rice.
7. Pour any remaining marinade over the toppings.
8. Cover the pot again and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
9. Raise the heat slightly for the final 2 minutes to crisp the rice against the bottom of the pot, listening for a light crackling sound.
10. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
11. Scatter the sliced spring onion and fried shallots over the top.
12. Serve directly from the pot, scraping up the crisp bottom layer of rice with each portion.