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Clay pot rice

This method requires a gas hob. Try not to get curious and remove the lid at all during the entire cooking process. I use a 16 centimetre single handle clay pot for this recipe.
I've included a simple tofu pad gaprao recipe you can use as a topping, if you'd like, but feel free to get creative with your own toppings.

Equipment

  • Clay pot
  • Gas hob

Ingredients

  • 150 grams jasmine rice
  • 180 millilitres stock or water hot
  • 2-3 teaspoons oil
  • Topping(s) of your choosing e.g. tofu gaprao

Optional tofu pad gaprao topping

  • 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1-3 bird's eye chillies, roughly chopped
  • 215 grams firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • packed ½ cup holy basil leaves
  • chilli vinegar for serving

Instructions

  • Rinse the rice two or 3 times. Cover with water and soak for at least an hour. Drain in a sieve, shaking as much excess water from the grains as possible.
  • Pop your claypot on the smallest hob you’ve got and turn the heat to medium-ish. After a minute or three, add the rice and hot stock.
  • Bring the temperature up to a simmer and give the rice a stir to loosen any grains that are clinging to the bottom. Cook for a few minutes, somewhere between 3-5, stirring from time to time to liberate any stuck grains, until the rice has expanded a little and the liquid is no longer covering the grains. The lid stays off during this process.
  • Turn the heat to the lowest heat and layer your toppings over the rice, then place the lid on. Set a timer for 10 minutes, but don’t leave the room. Put your ear close to the claypot and listen to the sound of the rice cooking, and know that when this sound stops and/or if you smell burning, it’s time to stop.
  • You’ll notice the lid doesn’t seal perfectly over the clay pot and we’re going to use this gap to add oil. Slowly drizzle oil around the lid, close to the edge, all the way around the perimeter. It will drip down into the pot. Try to avoid any temptation to open the lid.
  • Set a timer for 10 minutes. Imagine the bottom surface of the clay pot is divided into four quadrants, as if cut into a pie. Tilt the pot so that only one of those quarters is in contact with the flame (still on the lowest heat) and the pot is sitting at an angle. This means you will need to physically hold the pot. Turn every 30-60 seconds, so the flame is hitting the next quarter along. Do this until your timer goes off. Again, if you smell burning then it's time to stop.
  • Turn off the heat and leave the pot to sit (leave the lid on!) for about 5 minutes before serving.

For the tofu and holy basil topping (if using)

  • Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add garlic and chilli and cook until the garlic begings to turn golden. Crumble the tofu by hand directly into the pan (some variation in size of pieces is fine). Add the soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Continue to fry until the tofu gets a little bit of golden colour on some of the pieces.
  • Turn off the heat, add the holy basil leaves, and toss through. Use in step four of how to make clay pot rice, above. Clay pot rice topped with pad gaprao isn't complete without chilli vinegar