Clay Pot Rice

[canucklehead]

I am craving clay pot rice with cured meats... and would like to try to make it at home. I had always assumed that you cook the rice as per a normal pot (high heat to bring to a boil and then very low heat to cook through). But I've seen pictures of clay pots with jet engine burners at very high heat for claypot rice.

I want to have a good amout of crunchy bits on the outside - so is high heat necessary? When do you turn down the heat?

[aprilmei]

I make bo jai fan quite often but mine is never as good as the places here that specialise in it. It's pretty good, though. After bringing the water to the boil, I put the lid on the pot and turn the heat low enough so the water doesn't boil over the top. When most of the water is absorbed (so it's the same level with the rice) I turn up the heat. You can smell when the rice is starting to brown on the bottom of the pot.

One thing I've noticed about bo jai fan places is they soak the rice - they have a large vat of it soaking and ready to scoop into the pots. Then they add more water and the toppings. Soaking it presumably makes it cook more quickly. It still takes awhile, though.

[Dejah]

My method is the same as aprilmei's except I don't turn the heat back up. I'm always afraid I'll crack the pot.

I leave my clay pot rice on low heat for a longer period (half an hour) after it's ready to serve. That's when the oils from the cured meats like lap yuk starts to brown and crisp the bottom layer.