Claypot rice, the stainless steel version

I thought of buying the Emile-Henry flame top brassier just to make this dish. But I have too many pots already. I don't know how to sneak another pot into the kitchen without my husband finding out. So I try making the dish in my All-Clad 3-quart cassoulet. It is not bad, the bottom brown bits are the best.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts cubed

Marinate for chicken
4 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce (ketchup manis)
1/2 cup Chinese cooking wine
2 clove garlic minced
1 inch ginger minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon sugar

3 cups jasmine rice
4 cups chicken stock
Chinese sausage
Dry shiitake mushroom, hydrated

1. Marinate the chicken for a least 2 hours.

2. Heat vegetable oil in pan. Add sliced Chinese sausages and fry until oil rendered from the sausages.

3. Add the chicken together with the marinade. Add the shiitake mushroom and jasmine rice. Stir to combine.

4. Add chicken stock and cook until the rice is done. Check periodically, you might have to add more chicken stock.

5. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning with salt.

The whatever fried rice

Fried rice is easy. The two tricks are: use day old cooked rice and ginger. I use whatever vegetables there are in the fridge to make my fried rice. If there is chinese bbq pork, that's even better. If not, eggs will do for protein.

Ingredients

Canola oil
Sliced shallots
Minced ginger and garlic
Day old cooked rice
Chinese BBQ pork
Frozen peas and corn
Carrots shredded
Mushroom sliced
Tamari
Mirin
Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro and fried shallots as garnishes

1. Heat oil in wok. Lightly saute shallots, ginger and garlic.

2. Add BBQ pork and rice. Stir fry to break up the lumps in the rice.

3. Add a splash of mirin and tamari. Throw in the vegetables.

4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Garnish with fried shallots and cilantro.


To substitute BBQ pork with egg, just scramble an egg or two on the side and throw the eggs in together with the vegetables.