You can make one pot meals using Chinese clay pots.  These rice dishes are some of my favourite foods.  When done right, the bottom layer of rice is crispy and the top layer is beautifully flavoured with the juices from the meat and other toppings.

Claypot Rice Recipe

serves 2 to 4

2 to 3 cups rice (I use 2 cups because I have a small pot), washed and drained

enough water to come up 1/2 inch above the rice

Topping Variations:

2 chicken drumsticks (bone in), cut into 3 pieces crosswise with a sharp cleaver being careful not to shatter the bone (discard the piece with the long bone) – Note:  you could marinate the chicken but personally I find the Chinese sausage and dark soy sauce flavourful enough so I don’t do this.

2 to 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for at least 1 hour and thinly sliced

1 Chinese preserved sausage, boiled for 2 minutes then cooled and sliced crosswise on a diagonal

1 bunch Chinese vegetables

1/2 to 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Note that restaurants add small pieces of Chinese salted fish that have been stir fried in oil until crispy.  I like the flavour of it but I usually omit it to avoid the smell in my house.  Also, personally, I don’t feel that it works well in claypot dishes.  I prefer it in stir fried rice with chicken.

OR

up to 4 salted duck eggs (you can either cook one whole egg with the rice, then remove the shell, dice the egg and mix it in with the pork and rice at the end OR you can use up to 4 salted duck egg yolks and let those cook with the rice, then mix it in with the pork and rice at the end)

3/4 cup minced pork lightly marinated with garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper (Note:  this is not ground pork, the pork should be minced by hand using a cleaver)

1 bunch Chinese vegetables

1/2 to 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

OR

1 Chinese preserved sausage, boiled for 2 minutes then cooled and sliced crosswise on a diagonal

1 bunch Chinese vegetables

1 fried egg sunny side up or over easy (added when ready to serve)

1/2 to 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

OR

1 to 1 1/2 cups pork spare ribs marinated with garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper

1 small red chilli, deseeded and sliced thinly

1/2 to 3/4 tbsp fermented black beans (douchi)

1 slice of ginger cut into thin strips

1 bunch Chinese vegetables

1/2 to 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce (Chinese rock sugar dissolved in soy sauce over heat and cooled)

Brush the inside of the pot with a little bit of oil.  Put the rice and water into the clay pot, cover with the lid, and bring to boil.  Note that when working with clay pots you should raise the heat gradually.  So start on low for a few minutes, then increase the heat to medium for a few minutes, then to medium high for a few minutes and then to high heat.  Once the water reaches a boil, continue to cook on low heat until holes are formed on the top of the rice, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Spread the meat toppings (and mushrooms if using) over the top of the rice, cover with the lid and cook over low heat until the rice and meat are almost cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add the vegetables and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.  Note:  I prefer to cook my vegetables separately and serve them on the side.  I would also suggest doing this if you have a smaller clay pot.  If not adding vegetables to the pot, keep cooking until the meat is cooked all the way through.

When the meat is cooked through and the rice is done, remove from heat.  The rice will be done when it no longer looks wet and when you poke a chopstick through to the bottom and it comes out clean.  Place the vegetables onto a separate plate.  Add the crispy salted fish to the pot if using.  Drizzle the rice dish with dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.  Serve hot.  When ready to eat, mix everything in the rice pot together.