砂锅饭 Claypot Rice

I hardly got a chance to eat claypot rice. On the contrary, my husband (let's call him Mr W) had eaten numerous claypot rice from different stalls in Singapore. Be it the popular one in Geylang or those at Chinatown or at cafes. Thus far, I have been hearing him raved about the claypot rice at Kreta Ayer in Chinatown. Don't ask me which stall cos I don't know. 

So I decided to give it a try and well Mr W's verdict is pleasing to my ears. Except one remark - those that sells claypot rice at the hawker doesn't use so much ingredients! 

Oh...by the way, Mr W can be very picky when comes to food. So I am glad that I am able to make Claypot rice at home and add whatever I like! 

Since this is my first trial, I will keep it as authentic as possible.

Presenting to you - Jeane's 砂锅饭! Adapted from the Meatmen.

Apologies for the ugly photo. I should have taken the whole claypot rather than a small bowl. Nonetheless, it's the taste that matters right? 

Ingredients 

3 boneless chicken thighs

1 lup cheong 

3 shiittake mushroom

3 salted mackerel in oil

1 handful of chye sim

3½ cups of washed rice

3 cups of chicken stock 

3 gloves of garlic

1 inch thick ginger

Chicken marinate

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp cornflour

½ cup of water

Sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp hua tiao wine

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

A few dash of pepper

Preparation
1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients in the chicken marinate. Set aside.
2. Trim away the excess fats on the chicken thighs. Wash and pat dry. Cut them in to 1 to 2 inches in size. Add them into the bowl of chicken marinate. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
3. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Set aside.
4. Slice the lup cheong and the shiitake mushrooms. Set aside.
5. Dice the salted mackerel. *Can be replaced with dry salted fish.
6. Wash and chop the chye sim into 2 inches. Set aside.

Cooking direction
Cooking time - approx 1 hours

1. Heat 1 tsp of cooking oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil in the claypot. Stir fry the lup cheong, salted mackerel and mushrooms till fragrant. Dish up.
2. Add another 1 tsp of cooking oil into the claypot. Once it heats up, add the finely chopped garlic and ginger. Stir fry till fragrant.
3. Add in the washed rice and the chicken stock. Bring it to a boil.
4. Cover it with the lid and let it cook for 20 minutes. Occasionally give it a stir.
At this time, when you open the lid, the rice smell so good and you may want to just stop there and eat it! No joke.
5. After the 20 minutes, add in the lup cheong, mushroom and salted mackerel into the rice. Give it a stir.
6. Top the marinated chicken on to the mixed rice. Cover the lid and let it cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.  *Remember not to add any of the marinate into this claypot.
7. While the claypot is doing it wonders, let's mix the ingredients in the sauce. Mix well.
8. Add in chye sim on top and cover the lid. Turn of the heat at this time. Wait for approximately 15 minutes and the chye sim will be cooked to perfection.
9. Add 3 tbsp of the sauce, mix the rice and do a taste test. If it is to your preference, scoop a bowl and enjoy!

Note:
i) For those who doesn't like lup cheong, just omit.
ii) Do not be alarm if you smell chao ta, because its claypot...the rice will burn. And this makes it more authentic, just like those selling at the hawker!
iii) I know I am using salted mackerel in oil instead of the traditional dried salted fish. I think I will incorporate the dried ones in my next cook. Fry the dried salted fish to its crispiness and mix it after the whole pot of rice is done.