Cantonese Clay Pot Rice (Bao Zai Fan)

煲仔饭

Cantonese Clay Pot Rice (Bao Zai Fan) with a golden, crispy rice crust, smoky lap cheong and tender chicken — one pot, 45 minutes, weeknight-ready.

Ingredients

• jasmine rice
• Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
• boneless chicken thigh
• light soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine
• ginger

Instructions

1. Rinse rice, soak 30 minutes, then drain. Combine with 360 ml water (1.5× rice volume) in a heavy 2.5 L Dutch oven or flameproof casserole. (Water level just covers rice by 0.5 cm)
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to low heat, cover tightly, and simmer 15 minutes without lifting lid.
3. While rice cooks, marinate chicken in light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and minced ginger for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, carefully lift lid and arrange sausage slices and marinated chicken evenly over rice surface. Cover again and cook 8 more minutes.
5. Turn off heat. Let rest covered 5 minutes. Gently stir in 1 tsp sesame oil (optional) before serving. Scrape golden-brown crust from bottom with wooden spoon.