Chinese Clay Pot Rice Recipe

Chinese Clay Pot Rice or Bo Zai Fan, a classic Cantonese dish!

Have you cooked rice in a clay pot? Every Asia country has its own version of clay pots and their version of clay pot rice recipes. Cooking rice in a rice cooker is normal for every Asian household and it’s easy and delicious. But when rice is cooked in a clay pot, it tastes richer, much more fragrant and the texture is different from rice cooked in a rice cooker.

Usually Chinese clay pot rice is topped with chicken, pork, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), seafood, vegetables and more. But topping with tofu steak & mushrooms are surprisingly delicious if you prepare it right! Also the special brown sauce to drizzle all over the clay pot rice enhances the flavor 100 times!

I got my Chinese clay pot from the local Chinese market. Check out your local Chinese market if you have one or you can also purchase online too. Of course, having a clay pot is the best way to cook this rice recipe, but you can also use a deep cast iron pan or regular pot (if you have the right size) for the secondary choice.

Let’s jump into the recipe!

Wash 1cup of  brown jasmine rice, white jasmine rice or long grain rice lightly. I’m using brown jasmine rice for a healthier option. Drain and add into a clay pot. Pour 2 cups vegetable stock (1 1/2 cup for white jasmine rice or long grain rice) and let it soak for 1 hour. You can use just water but since we’re not going to get extra flavor from meat or seafood as traditional clay pot rice, using vegetable stock will definitely boost the flavor.

Combine all ingredients for sauce (down below) in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. This sauce is SO GOOD on everything, you might want to quadruple this recipe. Use this sauce for stir frying, dipping, glazing, drizzle on anything you want (rice, noodles, veggies & etc). This sauce will last 2 weeks in the fridge.

For Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, optional
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 green onions
• 3 thin or 2 thick slices of ginger

Bring soaked rice to a boil over high heat. When it starts boiling, stir once with a spoon and cover, reduce heat to medium low. Keep simmering for 12 minutes for white jasmine rice to 17 minutes for brown jasmine rice or until rice is fully cooked.

Meanwhile rice is cooking, slice 1 king oyster mushroom (you can use any other mushrooms) and tofu steak. I found tofu steak from the local Chinese market, but you can substitute it with extra firm tofu, tempeh or any plant-based protein of your choice.

Sauté the sliced mushroom with 1 tbsp cooking oil until it’s golden brown edges, about 3 to 4 minutes over high heat. Season with 1 tbsp soy sauce or pinch of salt and remove from heat.

Tap this picture for my long wooden spoon

Arrange sautéd mushroom, sliced tofu steak and blanched green (I used yu choy, you can use bok choy, spinach or any any greens you like!) on top of cooked rice. Drizzle 2 tbsp sesame oil around the edge of the clay pot to help create crispy rice. Cover, increase heat to high and cook 5 minutes for white jasmine rice or 9 minutes for brown jasmine rice to create crispy burnt rice.

Remove from heat, drizzle as much of the special sauce as you want. This sauce is not too salty, so enjoy as saucy as you like! Lastly, garnish with some chopped green onion and sesame seeds and serve while it’s hot!

Enjoy!

Chinese Clay Pot Rice

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• Author: Seonkyoung Longest

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For Rice

• 1 cup brown jasmine rice, jasmine rice or long grain rice
• 2 cups vegetable stock for brown jasmine rice, 1 1/2 cup for white jasmine or long grain rice

For Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, optional
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 green onions
• 3 thin or 2 thick slices of ginger

For Toppings

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or cooking oil
• 1 king oyster mushroom, sliced or any mushrooms of your choice
• 1 tsp soy sauce or pinch of salt
• 4 to 5 oz tofu steak, extra firm tofu or any plant-based protein of your choice, sliced
• 2 oz blanched yu choy, bok choy, cabbage, spinach or any vegetable of your choice
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• Chopped green onion for garnish
• Sesame seeds for garnish

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Instructions

1. Wash rice lightly and drain and add into a clay pot. Pour vegetable stock and let it soak for 1 hour.
2. Combine all ingredients for sauce in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. This sauce is SO GOOD on everything, you might want to quadruple this recipe. Use this sauce for stir frying, dipping, glazing, drizzle on anything you want (rice, noodles, veggies & etc). This sauce will last 2 weeks in the fridge.
3. Bring soaked rice to a boil over high heat. When it starts boiling, stir once and cover, reduce heat to medium low. Keep simmering for 10 minutes for white jasmine rice to 15 minutes for brown jasmine rice or until rice is fully cooked.
4. Meanwhile rice is cooking, sauté mushroom until it’s golden brown edges, about 3 to 4 minutes over high heat. Season with soy sauce and remove from heat.
5. Arrange sautéd mushroom, sliced tofu steak and blanched green on top of cooked rice. Drizzle sesame oil around edge of clay pot to help create crispy rice. Cover, increase heat to high and cook 5 to 9 minutes (5 minutes for white jasmine rice, 9 minutes for brown jasmine rice) to create crispy burnt rice.
6. Remove from heat, drizzle as much sauce as you want. This sauce is not too salty, so enjoy as saucy as you like! Lastly, garnish with some chopped green onion and sesame seeds and serve while it’s hot! Enjoy!

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