🍲 Why is clay pot rice so important to have a dry, crispy texture? Let us share the secrets behind it!

✨ Preface: The most healing pot in winter

Hey fellow foodies~ When winter arrives, what I look forward to most is not hotpot or sweet soup, but spicy clay pot rice ! 🤤
The moment you open the lid, white smoke rises and the aroma hits your nose. The rice is topped with sausage, ribs, Chinese sausage, and chicken, and finally drizzled with secret sweet soy sauce... It's such a blissful feeling! 💥
But when it comes to clay pot rice, what’s the most soulful part? That’s right, it’s the burnt rice ! 🔥
So, here's the question: Why does clay pot rice have to have a dry, crispy crust? Is it still authentic without the crispy crust?

📜 The origin and characteristics of clay pot rice

Clay pot rice originated in Guangdong, especially Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was first made by street vendors by slow-cooking it over charcoal fire.

• "Clay pot" : a small clay pot that keeps heat well and allows for even heating.
• "Burnt rice" : Because the clay pot heats up slowly, the rice grains stick to the edge of the pot and gradually dry out, eventually forming golden and crispy rice crust.
• This method is completely different from clay pot rice. The essence of clay pot rice is "one pot, two flavors": soft and sticky on top, crispy on the bottom. ✨

🥢 Why do we have to collect the dry rice?

1. The essence of traditional craftsmanship 🏮

• Claypot rice is originally slow-cooked over charcoal fire on the street. If you don't control the heat, the rice won't burn.
• The burnt rice is not just a by-product, but also a proof of the chef's mastery of the cooking process .
• If the rice is dry, crispy and burnt, it means the clay pot rice is cooked successfully.

2. The key to multi-layered taste 😋

• The rice on the top layer absorbs the sauce and soy sauce, becoming soft and tasty.
• The lower layer of rice is crispy and dry, with a slightly burnt aroma.
• You can taste the contrast of "crisp + soft" in every bite. This layered texture is the biggest charm of clay pot rice.

3. Aroma source 🔥

• The rice has a slightly caramelized aroma mixed with the flavor of charcoal.
• As soon as you open the lid, this aroma mixed with the fat of sausage and pork belly is really attractive!
• Clay pot rice without burnt rice is like an empty shell without a soul.

4. Keep the rice dry 🌬️

• The process of drying the rice is actually evaporating the excess water at the bottom of the pot.
• This will prevent the rice grains from being too soggy and sticky, keeping them distinct and refreshing.
• If it is not dried thoroughly, the rice will be "baked" and lose its proper texture.

5. Burnt rice is a delicacy in itself 🍘

• Many gourmets who eat clay pot rice look forward to the final step of "shoveling off the burnt rice" the most.
• Some people even pour hot soup over it, creating a crispy rice soup with a unique flavor.
• So, burnt rice is not a byproduct, but another kind of enjoyment.

🍖 Sauce + burnt rice = perfect combination

Another soul of clay pot rice is sweet soy sauce :

• After being poured over, the soy sauce seeps into the rice grains and the burnt rice, creating a mixture of salty and sweet flavors.
• The fat from the sausage, spare ribs, and chicken seeps into the rice grains and then into the rice char, creating a "fragrant aroma".
• The rice is crispy until the last bite, and the sweet aroma of soy sauce is left, which is really unforgettable.

🌏 Hong Kong Clay Pot Rice Culture

• Winter exclusive : Hong Kong people love to eat clay pot rice in winter because it is slow-cooked over charcoal or open flames, and not many people like it in the summer because it is too hot.
• Street shops : There are many time-honored shops in Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok that specialize in clay pot rice. In winter, the queues extend out to the street.
• Overseas extension : With the immigration of Hong Kong people, the clay pot rice culture spread overseas, but many places switched to gas/induction cookers due to safety issues, and the rice tasted burnt.

💡 Editor's Summary

I think clay pot rice must be cooked until the rice is dry and crispy. The reason can be summed up in four words: the key to success ! 💭

• The burnt rice indicates that the chef has mastered the fire control skills.
• The crispy rice brings a layered taste, making the clay pot rice more soulful.
• The burnt rice is not only the source of aroma, but also a favorite of gourmets.
  So, clay pot rice without burnt rice is not real clay pot rice, it’s just “rice baked in a clay pot”! 😂

🎤 Let me tell you

👉 When you eat clay pot rice, what do you look forward to most? Or is it that golden, crispy rice you scoop up at the end? Leave a comment and let me know! 📩