Kitchen Recipe Collection
Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage (Bao Zai Fan)
A traditional Cantonese one-pot meal. Fragrant jasmine rice cooked in a claypot, topped with sweet Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) and finished with a crispy rice crust.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
- 2 links Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong), thinly sliced diagonally
- 1 link Chinese liver sausage (optional)
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (plus extra for the crust)
- 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (for drizzling)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Blanched Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) for serving
Equipment
- Traditional Chinese claypot or heavy Dutch oven
- Lid
Instructions
- 1
Soak Rice
Soaking the rice for 30 minutes ensures it cooks evenly in the claypot without the bottom burning before the top is done.
- 2
Prepare Meats
Slice the Chinese sausages diagonally. The fat from the sausage will melt into the rice.
- 3
Mix Sauce
Mix the sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
- 4
Oil the Claypot
Brush the inside of the claypot generously with oil to prevent the rice from sticking completely.
- 5
Cook Rice
Add the soaked, drained rice and water to the claypot. Bring to a boil over medium heat uncovered.
- 6
Wait for Holes
Cook until most of the water has evaporated and you see 'steam holes' forming on the surface of the rice (about 5-7 minutes).
- 7
Add Sausage
Quickly lay the sliced sausage in an overlapping pattern on top of the rice. Cover the pot immediately with the lid.
- 8
Simmer
Reduce the heat to the absolute lowest setting. Cook for 15 minutes.
- 9
Create the Crust
To create the famous crispy bottom (guoba), drizzle 1 tbsp of oil down the inside edge of the pot. Turn the heat up to medium-high for 2-3 minutes. You should hear a crackling sound.
- 10
Rest
Turn off the heat. Let the pot sit covered for 10 minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice.
- 11
Add Greens and Sauce
Open the lid, arrange the blanched Gai Lan on top, and pour the sweet soy sauce mixture over everything.
- 12
Serve
Mix vigorously before eating, scraping the crispy rice from the bottom.
Cooking Tips
- Listening is key. When you turn up the heat for the crust, listen for a sharp crackling. If you smell burning, remove it from the heat immediately.
- Traditional claypots must be soaked in water before their first use so they don't crack over the stove.
Variations
- Chicken and Mushroom: Marinate diced chicken and shiitake mushrooms to place on top instead of sausage.
Nutrition Estimate
580 calories · 18g protein · 70g carbs · 25g fat · 3g fiber per serving
