Clay Pot Rice with Spicy Sausage and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 5 dried wood ear mushroom
• 4 dried shiitake mushroom
• 12 ounces chicken, dark or white meat, sliced into thin strips
• 5 ounces hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 slices of ginger, minced, about 1 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1 cup water
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• For the sauce:
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon water

Directions

1. Hold the wood ear and shiitake mushrooms under cool running water to rinse them, then move them into a large bowl and add enough water to submerge them. Let them sit for about 1 hour, until they have softened all the way through. Rinse them again under cool running water so any grit disappears, then press out the extra water, blot them dry with paper towels, cut them into thin strips, and keep them nearby.
2. In a medium bowl, put the chicken and sausage together. Add the garlic and ginger, sprinkle in the cornstarch, pour in the oil, add the fish sauce, then the Shaoxing wine. Stir in the soy sauce and oyster sauce, add the sugar, and fold in the sliced wood ear and shiitake mushrooms until everything is well mixed. Leave the bowl at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate it for as long as overnight.
3. When you’re ready to cook, wash the rice well and drain it. Add the rice to an enameled cast iron pot along with 1 cup of water, then let the rice stand in that water for 30 minutes.
4. Once those 30 minutes are up, set the pot of rice on the stove. Keep the lid off, turn the heat to medium, and bring the rice and water to a simmer. As soon as it begins to bubble gently, add the chicken and sausage mixture, spreading it softly into an even layer over the rice. Cover the pot, lower the flame to the second-lowest setting, and cook for 30 minutes.
5. While the rice cooks, stir the sesame oil, oyster sauce, and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Add the sugar, water, and fish sauce, and mix the sauce until combined.
6. When the 30 minutes have passed, lift the lid and check whether the chicken and sausage are cooked through. If they need more time, cover the pot again and check once more in 10 minutes.
7. For serving, carry the cast iron pot to the table. Scatter the chopped scallions over the top, then drizzle on half of the sauce. Use a large wooden spoon to fold the rice together with the chicken and sausage, and serve right away.