Another Goodbye to Acu (...and Claypot Chicken Rice)

It has been more than a month since Acu arrived (and 3 weeks of missed lectures). So it was about time to say goodbye (once again) this year. We'll miss you so much Acu. I know this time was definitely the last time she'll be here but who knows, miracles do happen and hopefully, Acu will be back soon.

Thank you so much for all your help Good Luck with your final year exams. Graduate, get a job and get rich soon so you can belanja us all airline tickets to go home to Malaysia...Ahaks!

For now, it's back to square one for Mummy Nana. All alone with the kids once again...

Oh, but the day before she left, Acu had requested that I cook her my speciality of sorts, Claypot Chicken Rice. Well, it's supposed to be cooked in a Clay Pot (hence the name) but as an improvisation, I merely cook it all in a normal rice cooker.

When I hear about a certain dish or taste something I like and it's hard for me to buy it, I usually try to experiment at home to get the dish that I like. Apart from Googling for a recipe, I would try to adjust the recipe according to my own tastes, capabilities and whatever it is that I have in my own kitchen.

It's in this spirit that I came across a particular Chicken Rice recipe but somehow, after trying it so many times, I couldn't get the same taste as the first time. You see, I have my own fanbase for this particular dish hahah... She's been asking for the recipe (my version not from the internet version because she said mine is easier to cook) for ages but I just couldn't find the time to write down the recipe for her. So, as I cooked this dish again yesterday for my sister and of course for the small party we had, I finally got around to writing it down. SO, here's the recipe FARAH!!! :-)

Not such a good looking picture but it tastes Nice!!!

Mummy Nana's Claypot Rice Cooker Chicken Rice

For the Rice you will need...

1 large chicken without skin and cut into small pieces
5 cups of rice (I normally use the Basmati variety as it's less starchy but has more flavour)
A handful of mushrooms or 5 pieces of dried shitake mushrooms soaked in warm water and sliced
8 Tbsp of Oyster sauce
2 Tbsp of sweet soy sauce (kicap pekat manis)
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp coarse black pepper
1 Tbsp grind white pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
1 onion, sliced thinly
1-inch ginger
5-7 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Note: Blend Garlic and Ginger into a paste.

For the Chilli Sauce you will need...

5 Red chillies
2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water
Finely blend

Salad and Cucumber for garnish.

Method:

Wash the chicken thoroughly with cold water and in a big bowl marinate the chicken with all of the ingredients (for the Rice). Heat 2 tbsp of oil. Make sure it's really, really hot to get the brown-claypot-cooked effect.

Pour in the chicken but do not allow the chicken to be well done but merely sautee the marinated chicken for 5 minutes. Remember to put aside a portion of the chicken (anything up to half of the portion) for separate baking (see below). In your rice cooker (as I don't have any claypot here) put the rice in and pour all the sauteed chicken and stir well. Add the adequate amount of water (according to type of rice used) and leave to cook automatically in the rice cooker.

Bake the rest of the chicken in the oven for an hour. Serve with home made chillie sauce and sweet soya sauce.