Say My Kitchen: Claypot Rice (Rice-Cooker Version) 电饭锅煮沙煲饭

Who wouldn't like Claypot Rice in Singapore? The distinctive fragrance from the rice and the ingredients ~ simply unforgettable ~

It is a rather daunting experience ordering Claypot Rice from popular food stalls. The wait (from the time we order) can span from 30 to 60 minutes. I long wanted to cook it myself. Unfortunately, I use ceramic and induction hobs for my kitchens. I do not have the essential "open fire" stoves for claypot cooking. My rice-cooker version is not done in a very mainstream method. I prefer to lightly sauté the key ingredients beforehand so that a richer fragrance will emit with the rice when cooked. Nevertheless, the end result is the same - rich and flavoured claypot rice.

Ingredients & Condiments (enough for 2 to 3 pax) :

a pair of chinese sausage (腊肠) sliced to thin pieces
1/3 of a kampung chicken (free range chicken) chopped to pieces
4 to 5 pcs of dried mushrooms (soaked and sliced to thin pieces). Keep the mushroom water (about 2.5 cups)
a piece of salted fish (梅香咸鱼) chopped to small bits
2.5 cups of rice (washed and drained)
3 to 4 slices of ginger
a cup of vegetables
a little cilantro/coriander, spring onions and red cut chilli for garnishing
cooking oil
sesame oil
dark soy sauce

Seasonings for Chicken :

a pinch of salt
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce or oyster sauce (your personal preference)

(tsp = teaspoon; tbsp = tablespoon)

Method :

Marinate chopped chicken with a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp light soy sauce or oyster sauce (i prefer light soy sauce).

Sauté marinated chicken with sliced ginger in a wok/pan till half-cooked and put aside.

Sauté mushrooms and put aside.

Lightly stir fry chinese sausage (腊肠) and put aside.

Lightly stir fry salted fish bits (梅香咸鱼) and put aside.

Prepare to cook rice in rice cooker. Use the mushroom water that was set aside earlier. Do not add too much water if you want a little burnt rice at the bottom. Lay the stir fried chicken, mushrooms, chinese sausage, salted fish and ginger slices into the rice cooker as well.

Let the rice cooker cook in normal "white rice" mode. My rice cooker takes about 40 minutes to deliver. Cooking time for every rice cooker varies. Some may take longer or shorter than 40 minutes.

When the rice cooker hits the "warm" button in about 40 minutes, the rice and its ingredients are fully cooked. At this juncture, toss in the vegetables and keep the lid shut for 1 to 2 minutes. The vegetables will be cooked in due course.