Traditional rice cooking pot?

[zhiaimao]

Da jia hao!

1. What is the traditional rice cooking pot with a single handle called?

2. I heard rice tastes better from it. Is that true?

3. What material is it made from?

4. How does the cooking method in the traditional pot differ from the electronic one? Aside from the obvious, needs fire. Does it require more water? Constant stirring? So on and so on.

5. Is it exclusive for rice? Or can I cook something else with it too? If so, what can it also cook?

Sorry for so much questions, I don't know how to search in Chinese.

[geraldc]

Not too sure what you mean, do you mean stuff like 煲仔飯? ( I don't know what it's called in mandarin though). I'm probably using the wrong search terms but this was the only photo of it I could find.

You normally get meat like spare ribs on top of the rice, and the rice at the side and bottom of the bowl is really crunchy. It's very different to plain white rice, as everything is cooked together in one pot.

I don't think you stir it at all, just put the lid on it once all the ingredients are in, and just put it on the fire. I've never tried cooking it, I just order it in restaurants.

[Quest]

In Cantonese:

1. What is the traditional rice cooking pot with a single handle called?

瓦煲

2. I heard rice tastes better from it. Is that true?

Think "residuals" people think that makes the rice taste better.

3. What material is it made from?

缸瓦

4. How does the cooking method in the traditional pot differ from the electronic one? Aside from the obvious, needs fire. Does it require more water? Constant stirring? So on and so on.

The electronic one has auto sensors/timers.

5. Is it exclusive for rice? Or can I cook something else with it too? If so, what can it also cook?

a pot can cook anything....

[Ian_Lee]

There are some techniques in cooking rice by 瓦煲.

You have to use the gas or charcoal stoves and let 瓦煲 sit on top of it. First you got to turn the stove into high heat, once the water is boiling, then you have to siwtch into dim fire, and let it stay that way for about 20-30 minutes (depending on the pot size and quantity of rice inside).

Usually Cantonese eat it during the winter and have ingredients cooked on top of the rice. About 5 minutes after it sits on dim fire, you got to open the lid and put the ingredient on top of the rice. Spare ribs, salted fish, beef patty, Lap Cheong (Chinese sausage).....can be added. Remember to put the lid cover back tightly.

And when it is done, you crack an egg on top and add the flavored shoyu onto the cooked rice!!

The burnt part on the bottom of the 瓦煲 is treasured in northern Chinese cuisine. It is called 鍋巴 there but Cantonese don't care much about it.

[zhiaimao]

Thanks everyone, you been very helpful.

I got additional questions:

6. Can the wa bao be cooked on an electric stove?

7. If the heat gets too high, would it crack?

8. Some wa bao has these steel wires around it. What is the purpose?

9. Some wa bao has this yellowish pottery colour and is rough in texture. Some have a whiter colouring, and smooth texture. How does this affect the rice?

10. Which of the two above is better?

11. Is the residual of the pottery safe for consumption in a long term?

12. If I should get a wa bao, what should I be careful of or keep in mind of?

[hzrt8w]

I'll try to fill in some of these in English:

>>> 1. What is the traditional rice cooking pot with a single handle called?

Clay pot in English.

>>> 2. I heard rice tastes better from it. Is that true?

It may subjective. Some like the rice made in clay pot because of the burnt rice at the bottom. Some like it (e.g. me), some don't.

>>> 3. What material is it made from?

Ceramic (clay). I have seen some iron "clay" pots too.

>>> 4. How does the cooking method in the traditional pot differ from the electronic one? Aside from the obvious, needs fire. Does it require more water? Constant stirring? So on and so on.

Like it's said before, the electric rice cookers have temperature sensor and an automatic off switch. Cooking with a clay pot takes about just the same amount of water.

>>> 5. Is it exclusive for rice? Or can I cook something else with it too? If so, what can it also cook?

Not at all. In the old days, clay pots are used for cooking rice and some dishes. Since we mostly use electrical rice cookers in modern days, clay pots are used for making "clay pot" dishes (Cantonese style) and soups. Clay pots are also used to boil Chinese herbal medicines too. But the pot design is different (the one with a long mouth piece).

[hzrt8w]

>>> 6. Can the wa bao be cooked on an electric stove?

Yes only if your electric stove is adjustable (temperature-wise). Like it's said before, you need to set it for boil then turn it down to slow cook.

>>> 7. If the heat gets too high, would it crack?

I think high heat is not a problem, but the sudden change in temperature may be a problem.

>>> 8. Some wa bao has these steel wires around it. What is the purpose?

To support the clay pot. Also in case of a crack, the pot will not break into 2 pieces and fall apart.

>>> 9. Some wa bao has this yellowish pottery colour and is rough in texture. Some have a whiter colouring, and smooth texture. How does this affect the rice?

The "rough texture" is the natural surface of clay. The smooth texture is from the glazing. On the inside of the pot, it's always glazed so that water will not sip through the porous material. On the outside, then it depends on the manufacturers. I don't think it has any effect on the rice.

>>> 10. Which of the two above is better?

Personal preference from an appealing apperance point of view. No functional difference.

>>> 11. Is the residual of the pottery safe for consumption in a long term?

Those are basically camaralized (charred) rice. Not sure about the health effect.

>>> 12. If I should get a wa bao, what should I be careful of or keep in mind of?

Try to have a gradual heating/cooling and not sudden temperature change. And don't drop it! ;-)