Rice Cooker 'Claypot' Chicken Rice

This is an easy cheat recipe that gives you the great flavours of the dish but sadly you won't get the charred bits achieved by cooking it in a claypot.

You win some; you loose some.

Ingredients (6 pax):

3 chicken breast (about 770gm) - cut into bite size cubes and marinate with salt, 2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp 5-spice powder)

4 flat cups basmati rice (wash, drain and set aside)

1 medium onion

Ginger-garlic paste (4 pips garlic + 1 thumb size ginger)

1 tbsp dried prawn sambal (optional)

1 tbsp chilli garlic oil (optional)

3 tbsp fried onions

1 bunch spring onions chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander chopped

Sauce

2 tbsp thick soy sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce or hoisin sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

white pepper

Method:

1. In the rice cooker, boil 5 1/2 cups water or chicken stock.

2. While waiting for the water to boil, in a wok heat some oil and when hot add the onion and saute well before adding the ginger-garlic paste.

3. Then add the dried prawn sambal and chilli garlic oil and stir together.

4. Add the chicken cubes and mixed sauce and coat well.

5. Ensure that the chicken is lightly cooked (so it's not raw but don't over cook it).

6. Check taste and make adjustments to your liking.

7. Add the washed rice grains.

8. Very gentle, so as not to break the rice, mix everything well.

9. Turn off the heat.

10. Your water in the rice cooker should be boiling now.

11. Careful add the cooked items in your wok into the boiling water.

12. Use a pair of chopsticks to gentle stir though.

13. Cover the lid and let the rice cooker do its job.

14. When done, leave the power on for about 10 minutes before switching it off to let the chicken rice simmer down.

15. Garnish with some fried onions, spring onions and coriander when serving.