Claypot Chicken Rice

An absolutely delicious one pot meal which is very popular in Malaysia and Singapore More often than not, the rice is cooked in the claypot first and cooked ingredients like diced chicken and Chinese sausage are added in later.

Traditionally, the cooking is done over a charcoal stove, giving the dish a distinctive flavour. However if you don't have a claypot, no worries, just do the cooking in your rice cooker.





Claypot Chicken Rice
Recipe Adapted from Kuali
Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:

500g (2 pieces) boneless chicken maryland
300g long grain rice
420ml water

Marinade for the Chicken:

1 tablepoon dark soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon ginger juice
1 tablespoon Chinese wine
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Garnish:

1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), sliced
5 pieces Chinese mushroom, soaked and cut in half
Chopped spring onions and coriander for garnishing

Method:

1) Cut chicken into chunks, about 1.5" pieces. Combine the marinade ingredients and allow chicken to marinate in it for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

2) Heat a wok and add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Fry the Chinese sausage until lightly brown.  Remove and set aside.

3) Add the marinated chicken and Chinese sausages into the wok and stir fry for about 2 minutes.  Then add the mushroom and fry for another minute or two.  If the ingredients look a bit dry and a little bit of water (ingredients should have a little bit of sauce).  Add the Chinese sausage and mix.

4) Wash the rice in several changes of water and place into a claypot with 420ml water. Cook, covered, over medium heat, until water is almost absorbed.

5) Add the stir fried chicken over the rice. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of water over the meat/rice.

6) Lower the heat and cook, covered, until rice and chicken are cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Flake rice, cover lid and cook for further 5 minutes.

7) Remove from heat and top with spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately with sliced red chillies.

Crispy Pork Belly Served with Lentils

I have been absolutely slack in updating my blog and have been caught up by so many things lately.  In July I had family members visiting me from Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur.  I didn't do much cooking at all during that time - in fact we mostly ate out. 

After they left I had to deal with one of my dogs (Milo) having to go in for heartworm treatment.  Milo was treated for Stage 1 and last week he went in for his double injection, one administered on Monday and the other administered on Tuesday.  I was quite worried especially after reading how the treatment was done and the after-care involved.  He is now confined at home with no exercise or excitement for the next four weeks and so far he is doing very well.





Crispy Pork Belly Served with Lentils
Recipe Adapted from Delicious Magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 kg boneless pork belly, skin scored (ask your butcher to do this for you)
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp sea salt
1 large onion, cut into wedges
3 celery sticks, cut into chunks
1.5 cups to 2 cups chicken stock

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C.

2) Place the pork belly on a board and pat dry with kitchen paper. Rub the fennel seeds and sea salt all over the skin.

3) Place the onion wedges and celery in a roasting tin, put the pork belly on top, skin-side up.  Then slowly pour in the chicken stock, making sure you do not moist the skin.

4) Place in oven and roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins.

5) Increase the temperature to 210C (fan oven) and roast for a further 20 minutes, until the crackling is crisp.

6) Place on a carving board to rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with seasonal vegetables or lentils.