Claypot Rice with Marinated Tofu & Shitake Mushrooms

Claypot Jasmine Rice with Marinated Tofu and Shitake Mushrooms  is a heavenly rice dish.  The combination of ginger, bird's eye chilli and all the seasonings goes very well to produce a delicious, filling and wholesome meal. A Cooking Frenz member Alice Lim cooked this for one of her cooking demos but she had used rice cooker instead of a claypot and had made the non vegetarian version using chicken. This recipe has been long pending (since March actually!). As this Claypot rice has all the ingredients for a wholesome meal - carbs (rice), protein (tofus) and fibre (spinach and mushrooms)- you don't actually need any other side dish​ - though a light chinese soup would be a great accompaniment.

​A claypot is required for this rice dish but if you don't have one, use any heavy based non stick saucepot.

Ingredients (Serves 3)
​1.5 cups of Jasmine Rice

Rice seasonings
2.5 cups of vegetable stock
1 tsp sesame oil
​2 tsps mushroom seasoning

Tofu Marinade
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 block of firm tofu, sliced half and again sliced into slightly thick rectangles
10 pieces of white button mushroom or 6 pieces of fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 piece of 2 inch ginger cut into matchsticks
1 bird's eye chilli, sliced
3 cups baby spinach, washed
2 tablespoon cooking oil

Other Seasonings
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon light soy sauce ( if needed)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon veg oyster sauce

​Extra bird's eye chilli and some sliced scallions for garnishing.  

Method
​1) Wash the rice and soak in 2.5 cups of vegetable stock for 15 mins in the claypot. We will be using this same stock to cook the rice. So don't throw this away.

2) In the meantime, cut the tofu block into rectangles and place them in a big plate/container.  

3) Prepare the marinade ingredient. From top left - light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper powder, corn flour and sugar. Mix them in a small bowl and pour over the tofus slices. Let them marinate for 10 mins. 

4) Prepare the other seasonings for the vegetables. From left in a small white bowl - dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chinese rice wine, veg oyster sauce, canola oil and in the centre is light soy sauce (optional extra).

5) Get the vegetables ready.

6) Heat a wok and start frying the ginger matchsticks and bird's eye chilli. The white pepper in the tofu marinade packs a punch, so if you prefer a less spicy dish, add only half the chilli or omit altogether.

7) Then, add in the marinated tofu slices  and the marinade sauce.

8) Fry in the oil, turning over regularly till golden brown. Then add in the other seasonings.

9) This will then be followed by the mushroom and baby spinach.

10) Cook till the mushrooms and spinach cook and wilt. Probably 5-10 mins.

11) Start cooking the rice in the claypot. Add the mushroom seasoning and the sesame oil, mix and allow the stock to boil,

12) Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and cook the rice for 5-7 mins. Watch the pot carefully, the rice can get stuck to the claypot and start to burn.

13) When the rice is almost cooked, add the cooked tofu,mushroom, spinach stir fry over the rice.

14) Cover and cook on low heat for 5 mins and switch off the flame.

15) Serve hot garnished with spring onions and more bird's eye chilli.. Enjoy :)