The clay pot:

Buy a nice thick clay pot that's wider than it is tall. While the rustic varieties are still available in Chinatowns and Asian grocery stores, you can also get more polished versions that are fully glazed.

You can choose smaller clay pots for individual servings, or a larger size to serve the whole family, but smaller pots are easier to handle.

The first thing you need to do is to check the clay pot for hairline cracks. The best way is to immerse it completely in water and look for tiny bubbles on the surface of the ceramic. Leave it soaking for a day or two before using.

Toppings:

Chicken and mushrooms

Use two whole wings and cut each into four pieces. Marinate in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add pepper to taste. Soak three dried shiitake mushrooms and cut each in half. Mix the mushrooms with the chicken. Marinate until ready to cook.

Assembly: When the rice has no more surface water, spread the topping on top and close the lid. The chicken cooks very easily.

Chicken and sausages

Skip the shiitake mushrooms from the recipe above. Add a whole Chinese sausage.

Assembly: When the rice has no more surface water, spread the chicken on one side and place the sausage on the other, and close the lid.

Silky beef and onsen egg

Slice 250g of lean beef against the grain. Marinate with salt and pepper, a beaten egg white and a generous tablespoon of cornstarch with a tiny pinch of baking soda. Add soy sauce to taste and a little sugar. You have to massage the beef slices well, until the egg white is fully absorbed. Add a spoonful of vegetable oil and set aside. Cook the egg in boiling water for three minutes.

Assembly: When the rice has no more surface water, spread the topping on top and close the lid. Just before serving, crack the egg into the pot, clamp down the lid and then serve.

Winter cured meats

Prepare one sweet Chinese sausage, one liver sausage and a cured duck thigh cut up into thin slices. You can also use cured belly pork or salty ham.

Assembly: When the rice has no more surface water, spread the sausages and cured meats on top and close the lid.

The sauce:

Every family has their favorite recipe, and this is the one I like.

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons mirin

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix together and pour over the rice at the table.

The rice:

For a clay pot for two, measure out one cup of rice, wash well and drain. Measure one and a half cups water and add with rice to clay pot. Cook over high heat till the rice bubbles. Lower the heat and simmer.

This is when you have to watch the rice. As soon as you cannot see any more water on the surface of the rice, pour in the savory ingredients. Close the lid tightly and cook for another 10 minutes.

If you like a crusty bottom, the easiest way is to turn on the bottom element of your oven grill and toast the pot for 10 minutes.