Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage

Claypot Rice, or Bo Zai Fan, is a beloved Cantonese dish where uncooked rice is combined with toppings and cooked directly in a clay pot over an open flame, creating a unique combination of textures that cannot be achieved with a rice cooker. The toppings typically include sliced lap cheong (Chinese sausage), shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and salted fish, which are placed on top of the raw rice before cooking begins. As the rice cooks, the bottom layer develops a thin, golden, slightly crispy crust — known as the guoba — while the top remains fluffy and perfectly cooked. A seasoning sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar is drizzled over the top just before serving, and the entire pot is mixed together at the table. The rich flavors from the sausage and mushrooms infuse into every grain of rice. The crispy bottom layer is considered a delicacy and is the most sought-after part of the dish.