by Grace Young
What is a sandpot you ask? It is a pot made of clay; it is said, that it is made from a unique clay found only in China. It is normally glazed on the inside, and has a sandy rough texture on the outside. They are easily found in Chinese markets or in your local Chinatown. I found this particular one on Amazon.
Mise en place.
Bowl 1: Rice
Bowl 2: Chicken broth
Bowl 3: Chicken, ginger, egg white, rice wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, pepper, oil
Bowl 4: Shiitake mushrooms
Bowl 5: Mushroom liquid
Bowl 6: Scallions
Bowl 7: Prosciutto
Lovin' my new sandpot! Well, actually this is a Japanese donabe hot pot; very similar to the Chinese sandpot - both are made of clay, glazed on the inside and unglazed (the bottom of mine) on the outside. Precautions need to be taken when cooking with these type of pots. They need to be heated gradually, and never placed on a cold surface right after heating, or they may crack, for they are sensitive to temperature change.
For additional lore about sandpots, check out Grace's own post on her blog.
As the rice cooks in the sandpot (Grace also includes instructions for using a saucepan if you do not have a sandpot) and about seven minutes before it is done, the rice is topped with a stir-fry made up of chicken, ginger, egg white, rice wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, pepper, oil, mushrooms, and the mushroom liquid (leftover from soaking the mushrooms); scallions are sprinkled over the top and the pot is covered allowing the rice and chicken to finish cooking. Just before serving, it is topped with shredded prosciutto - yum!
Grace says she serves this dish with a large serving spoon, scooping up the rice along with the chicken mixture, or you can stir the chicken mixture into the rice before serving; either way, it looks beautiful.
This dish was enjoyed by all.
For additional information regarding clay pots, check this site out.
We have been asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 252, of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed.
