Ingredients:
For the chicken:
1 pound/ 450 grams chicken meat (from the thighs or breast), deboned and sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons Chinese rice wine
3 teaspoons sesame oil
A pinch of salt
METHOD:
Whisk the cornstarch, rice wine, sesame oil and salt in a bowl, then pour it over the chicken pieces, mixing well to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Claypot rice:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ounce/ 28 grams dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water and sliced
2 ounces/ 56 grams dried Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong), sliced
10 ounces/ 280 grams white rice, rinsed in cold water until the water runs clear and drained
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¾ cup of water, at room temperature
5 ounces/ 140 grams leafy green vegetables, like bok choy, gai choy, dou miao or spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Method:
Heat the oil in a wok or a deep frying pan, then add the garlic and ginger, frying until fragrant. Add the marinated chicken and stir. When the meat starts to brown, add the mushrooms and chinese sausage, stirring for a minute to mix well.
If you’re using a claypot, place it on a hob and turn the heat to low.
Add the rice to the wok and turn the heat to high, mixing as you go to allow the rice to fully absorb the flavor of the other ingredients. Add the light soy sauce and sesame oil to the wok and keep stirring and mixing for another 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and transfer the contents of the wok to the claypot. Add the water, then cover and increase the heat to medium.
Leave the ingredients to cook for about an hour, checking-in every 15 minutes and giving the rice a stir or two.
After an hour, add the vegetables, cover and turn the heat to low for 10 minutes.
Drizzle the dark soy sauce and sesame oil over the vegetables and serve, with the claypot as your centerpiece.
