Bo Zai Fan — Clay Pot Rice

Bo zai fan, cooked and served in individual sand clay pots, is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food of Hong Kong and Guangdong. Each diner receives their own sealed pot, rice sizzling against the clay while a soy-based sauce poured over the lid steams through to finish the toppings. The most coveted part is the socarrat-like crispy rice crust at the bottom — called fan jiu — which is scraped up and eaten last. Traditional toppings include Chinese sausage with chicken, or cured pork belly with ginger.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Rice base:

• 320g (1.5 cups) long-grain jasmine rice, rinsed
• 400ml (1.75 cups) water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil

Toppings:

• 2 lap cheong (Chinese cured sausages), sliced diagonally 5mm thick
• 300g (10.5 oz) bone-in chicken thighs, cut through bone into 4cm (1.5-inch) pieces
• 2cm (3/4 inch) fresh ginger, julienned

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Sauce to finish:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar, dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken pieces in marinade ingredients for 30 minutes.
2. Brush two clay pots (or small Dutch ovens) with oil. Divide rinsed rice and water between them. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat with lids on, about 8 minutes.
3. When water is mostly absorbed and small craters appear, arrange chicken, lap cheong, and ginger over rice. Replace lid, reduce heat to low, and cook 12–15 minutes.
4. Mix finishing sauce. Lift each lid, pour half the sauce around the edge of the pot so it runs down the sides and steams through the rice. Re-cover for 2 minutes.
5. Serve pots directly at the table. Encourage diners to scrape the crispy bottom crust — this is the best part.

Cook's Notes: Clay pots conduct heat unevenly — rotate the pot slightly every few minutes to develop an even crust. If using a regular pot, finish over higher heat for the last 3 minutes to encourage crust formation. Lap cheong is available at any Chinese grocery store.