These smokin' pots hold one of China's greatest contributions to mankind: claypot rice. Cooked in a heavy, thick-walled vessel over a charcoal fire, the simplest of ingredients - rice, chicken, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), and salted fish - are transformed into something sublime.
At this stall in Subang Jaya a lone woman tends sixteen or so claypots set on braziers of varying heat, arranged in three rows. She starts each order on the bottom, slicking a pot with a bit of oil before adding water and rice, bringing it to the boil, and then covering it. After the water's been absorbed (instinct tells her when, but the untrained eye would know it from small craters on the rice's surface) she moves the pot up a row or two to a cooler brazier, and adds chicken, fish, and sausage. When the chicken is nearly done she anoints the dish with sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine, leaves it on the heat a while longer, and finally finishes it off with a flurry of chopped scallion greens.
Sweet, chewy lap cheong, thinly sliced edges curled and lightly charred from the heat, and savory bone-in chicken contrast with nubs of sharply salty dried fish. The rice on which they lay, its surface stained black with soy, is aromatic and fluffy, except for the thin layer that's adhered to the bottom and sides of the claypot. This blackened crust (I've been told it's not a desirable quality in a good claypot rice, but I love dislodging and munching on the flavorful crispy rice) is the conduit via which with the contents of the pot are imbued with a subtle smokiness.
The ultimate one-pot meal.
Claypot chicken rice stall, Restoran New Apollos. 2 Jalan USJ4/6B, Subang Jaya. 11:30am-3pm and 5-10pm.
At Kampar - near the Kampar hawker center, there is 1 coffee shop selling this claypot rice also. For the small pot, i think is selling at $3.50/pot & the rice is good enough for two adult to eat. May have a try if you are there.
Posted by: KG-Food | 2006.02.23 at 13:47
A brilliant homage to a delicious and simple dish that I just love! Wonderful pictures to boot, as well.
You're not the only one who attacks the crisp rice. ;)
Posted by: Transparent Reality | 2006.02.23 at 13:50
You have been told wrong. To me, the crisped rice sticking to the pot is the best part about this dish. Sometimes we even fight for the crust.
Posted by: umami | 2006.02.23 at 14:35
Allen, umami - thank you. I'm vindicated. I say it loud and proud: I-LOVE-THE-BURNED-RICE.
KG-Food, thanks for the tip. But there are a few coffee shops near the hawker center in Kampar - can you be more specific?
Posted by: Robyn | 2006.02.24 at 08:26
You take the "Bank Bumiputra" junction in & go straight, you will see the coffee shop - "Kam Ying" (opposite this shop is - "Restoran Yin Phun"). Operation hour start from 3pm. Behind this coffee shop you can see there is another roll of shop selling noodle & etc. Try the "fish ball" - nice.
Posted by: KG-Food | 2006.02.24 at 13:37
>> This blackened crust
crispy burned rice. that's a fav to some (including me)
Posted by: slurp! | 2006.02.24 at 20:20
lovely food ! I put on weight during review and am worried...do u have the same problem?
Posted by: foodcrazee | 2006.02.24 at 20:39
Wonderful post!
The claypot rice looks sooooo darn gOOd!
It's not something I can make home nor can find around here :p
Posted by: Ceendy | 2006.02.25 at 04:03
Yay, more vindication from slurp!
KG - thx for the clarification. Will definately try next time I'm in Kampar.
Ceendy - you could probably do a decent rendition with a claypot set on a BBQ...
foodcrazee - of course. I do most of my "reviewing" on the wknd and usu. start Monday up a pound or two. Working up a sweat in the gym on a regular basis (ipod helps) is my only salvation...
Posted by: Robyn | 2006.02.25 at 10:20
fantastic photos - wow. and while reading, i was just wondering if you were going to talk about that "crusted" rice on the bottom... I have never had this Chinese dish (want to!!) but have had plenty of Bi Bim Bap (Korean) which is similar. All my Korean friends have taught me to fight over the crusted part on the bottom - the most treasured part of the dish! Your blog rocks.
Posted by: Easily Pleased | 2006.02.26 at 07:28
Easily Pleased, I *love* bi bim bap. Now that you've reminded me of it, I must search out a Korean restaurant here in KL so I can get a fix.....
Posted by: Robyn | 2006.02.27 at 08:40
Thanks for the entry. I love this dish a lot myself. I posted a thumbnail of your image in my site. Hope you dont mind. I linked back to your site.
http://www.whoila.com/public.php?publiclink=2Tifqr5GAqDw
Posted by: Scott | 2008.08.04 at 09:10