Across a 50 meter-stretch of the street, tables and chairs crowd the pavement. From dusk till the wee hours, piping-hot claypots filled with rice are being cooked and sent out to the diners, almost as if it were a scene in a movie. Being a part of the crowd as you enjoy the tasty food makes the experience even more pleasurable.

In Cantonese, the term "Bao Zai" refers to a small earthenware pot. These claypots are highly porous, so when they are used to cook rice, the food retains the aroma of the charcoal used for cooking. Well-cooked claypot rice has also absorbed the meat gravy, in a combination of soft chewy rice grains and crispy scorched rice sticking to the side of the pot. This might not sound particularly impressive, but the actual cooking process requires careful attention to the details. With its rich flavours and layers of textures, in that instant when the lid is lifted from the hot steaming pot, it is indeed a sight to warm the heart in winter.

Out of all the classic Cantonese dishes, claypot rice holds its own place of honour with the others. With its rich and delicious flavours, it has satisfied the taste buds of many happy diners to count. When you stay at the Rosedale Hotel, you can come try this appetizing and tasty rice dish.

--Dec 2017