Chicken and mushroom claypot rice
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
This simple chicken claypot rice dinner is given an extra edge with sweet soy sauce and ginger oil toppings. If you don't have a traditional Chinese claypot a heavy-based saucepan or casserole will do the trick.
Each serving provides (for 6 servings) 1004 kcal, 43.9g protein, 91.4g carbohydrate (of which 10.1g sugars), 51g fat (of which 11.9g saturates), 2.4g fibre and 6.15g salt.
By Justin Tsang
Ingredients
For the chicken rice
- 20g/¾oz dried shiitake mushrooms (about 3–4), sliced
- 600g/1lb 5oz jasmine rice
- 8 chicken thighs, skin removed and boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp MSG
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with ½ tbsp water
- 650ml/21fl oz chicken stock
- 2 Chinese sausages, thinly sliced (available from Asian supermarkets)
- 260g/9¼oz baby spinach
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, to garnish
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced, to garnish
- large bunch fresh chives, thinly sliced, to garnish
For the sweet soy sauce
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp MSG
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- pinch salt
For the ginger oil
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely chopped
- 50g/1¾oz fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or very finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp MSG
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave overnight or for at least an hour.
To make the chicken rice, put the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Rinse the rice and pour away the water. Repeat twice, or until the water is clear, then drain.
Put the chicken in a large bowl and add the salt, MSG, soy sauce and cornflour mixture. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated.
Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan or a traditional Chinese claypot over a high heat for about 1 minute. Add the rice and stock, then cover with a lid and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, arrange the chicken mixture, Chinese sausage, and rehydrated mushrooms on the surface of the rice, in that order. Spread out the ingredients, especially the chicken, right to the edges of the pan to ensure even cooking. Put the lid back on and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 18 minutes, or until the rice, sausage and chicken are cooked through.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the spinach for 30 seconds until wilted. Drain in a colander and set aside.
To make the sweet soy sauce, add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
To make the ginger oil, put the spring onions, ginger, salt and MSG in a bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a high heat for 1–2 minutes, or until almost smoking. Carefully pour the oil into the bowl and stir to combine.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and, if you have time, leave to rest with the lid on for 8–10 minutes.
Arrange the spinach on top of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, spring onions and chives over the chicken.
Pour the sweet soy sauce evenly over the chicken. Repeat with the ginger oil. Put the lid on and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Stir the rice and serve.
