Foodmanna: Claypot chicken rice

Have this happened to you? Going to the bathroom shockingly realizing the toilet roll is empty? Well, that almost happen to me. After a late lunch, my nap overran. I was late. Ok. I must admit my hair smells of rotten fish (you will know why later). I believe any fishmonger will smell better than me at this point. Desperately need a quick shower to rid fishy smell off my hair. After 2 rounds of shampoo, I realized there wasn't any towel on the rack! All the screaming doesn't help because no body is at home. I was naked, drenched and stranded.

I am such a dork. At the dinner table, I embarrassly found out I wore my dress the other way around. To make matter worst. I felt a painful bump on my forehead. Ouch! I forgotten that I've hit my head on the kitchen cabinet earlier while cooking and a purple tint has come through. Well, I will just blame on the lighting. There's nothing much I can do.

During dinner, I had my greatest laugh. Amused by my date with hilarious funniness that rolled me to heaven and hell and over again. I ending up bursting my mouthful of wine across the table. I was left with laughter tears. Ladylike? I guess not so. We pretended to be zombies and all, with skewed face having dinner. This definitely did draw much attention from our neighboring tables. Growing up doesn't mean that you should stop doing silly things, isn't it?

So much so for a such an eventful day of unexpectedness. That was my first time cooking rice on the stove and I am so glad the rice turned out so well (An old trusty method I must share with you to measure the water to rice: Spread out your fingers and palm on the rice. Add enough water to cover up to the knuckle). I was really glad how the flavors had comes together that sent my tough critic to the third helpings, scrapping down all the crunchy smoky crust. My secret ingredient I reckoned is the crispy salted fish topping. It seals it all. Just that you'll stink of rotten fish.

That night when I lay down filled with food and laughters, I smell the stinky salted fish on my pillow.

1½ cup chicken stock or (An old method to measure the liquid to rice: Spread out your fingers and palm on the rice. Add enough water to cover up to the knuckle)

1 lup cheong (Chinese sausages), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes before removing wax covering, sliced diagonally. Please find the best lip cheong you can find. This makes a big difference.

Marinade chicken pieces and mushrooms an hour. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the clay pot. Add salted fish bits and fry until golden brown. Turn off the stove and take out salted fish, leaving behind the oil in the claypot.

Add washed rice to the claypot, coating the rice grains with the oil left in the clay pot using a spatula. Add the chicken stock and top with lup cheong. Cover claypot with lid and bring to a rumbling boil. Next, add the marinated chicken pieces with marinating sauce on top of the rice and cook for 15 minutes turning the heat to medium low. For the last 5 minutes, drizzle ½ tablespoon oil along the walls of the clay pot so that the rice can form a nice crust.

Turn off the stove. Add the baby bok choy or kailan and cover with lid, allowing the contents of the claypot to keep warm and slow cook on their own for another 10-15 minutes. Scatter fried salted fish bits and chop spring onion before serving.