If you’ve tried my chicken and shiitake mushroom, beef, or fish fillet versions, the base method will feel familiar, though this one takes a slightly different approach. This recipe draws loose inspiration from Hong Kong-style claypot rice, but the sea bass is pan-seared separately until golden, then finished with bonito flakes and sweet soy sauce, creating a different layer of texture against the crispy rice crust at the bottom. It’s a warm, simple, home-style dish you’ll love once you give it a try!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Pan-seared for extra flavour: searing the sea bass first adds a golden, slightly crisp edge you don’t get from steaming alone.
Savoury depth from bonito and sweet soy: a simple finish that ties the whole dish together.
Crispy golden crust: the same crackling rice base that makes claypot rice so addictive, whatever the topping.

What If I Don’t Have a Claypot?

This dish is traditionally cooked in a Japanese clay pot, or donabe, which holds heat exceptionally well and gives the rice a subtly earthy aroma, ideal for this kind of one-pot rice. If you don’t have one, here are a few alternatives that work well:

Cast iron skillet: a well-seasoned skillet retains and distributes heat much like a clay pot, giving you a properly crispy rice crust.
Non-stick pan: works too, though you may need a little extra oil to get the bottom layer crisp.
Electric rice cooker: an easy option if you’d rather simplify the process on a busy weeknight.

Tips for Making This Recipe

Pre-Soak Your Rice: soak the jasmine rice for at least an hour before cooking. It helps the grains cook through evenly and gives you a softer, fluffier texture.
Get the Rice-to-Water Ratio Right: I use a 1:1.25 ratio of jasmine rice to water. If you’re using short-grain or sushi rice instead, go for closer to 1:1, since it needs less water to cook properly.
Sear the Fish Properly: pat the sea bass dry and dust it lightly with corn flour before searing. This helps it turn golden rather than steaming in the pan.
Don’t Rush the Crust: let the rice cook undisturbed over medium-low heat for the final 6 to 8 minutes. This is what builds the crispy bottom layer that makes claypot rice worth making at home.
Finish with Bonito Flakes and Sweet Soy Sauce: scattering bonito flakes over the fish and drizzling with sweet soy sauce right before serving ties everything together and adds a rounder, more balanced sweetness.

Final Thoughts

Pan-Seared Sea Bass Claypot Rice takes the same crispy-crust formula from the rest of the series and gives it a lighter, more delicate finish. Between the seared fish, the bonito, and that glossy sweet soy drizzle, it’s a version worth putting into the rotation alongside the chicken, beef, and fish fillet ones.

More Claypot Rice to Try

Pan-Seared Sea Bass Claypot Rice

Wanting

A comforting claypot rice topped with pan-seared sea bass, finished with bonito flakes and a drizzle of sweet soy sauce. It's a dish full of savoury depth and delicate flavour, with a wonderfully crispy rice crust atthe bottom.

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Course Lunch, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Ingredients

200 g 200g short grain rice (sushi rice)
200 ml water 1:1 rice-to-water ratio; for jasmine rice, use 1:1.25
1 sea bass fillet about 100g
1 tbsp cooking wine
A pinch of salt
½ tbsp corn flour, for dusting
A handful of finely sliced chives, for layering
½ tsp white pepper, to finish
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce, for drizzling
A small handful of bonito flakes, snipped into smallerpieces with scissors, for topping
Vegetable oil, for cooking and drizzling

Instructions

Soak the rice: Wash and rinse the short grain rice thoroughly. Place it in a clay pot and add the water. Drizzle a few drops of vegetable oil over the top and leave to soak for at least 1 hour.
Marinate the sea bass: Rub the sea bass fillet on both sides with the cooking wine and a pinch of salt. Leave to marinate for about 10 minutes. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then dust both sides lightly with the corn flour.
Pan-sear the fish: Heat a little oil in a pan and sear the sea bass until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Cook the rice: Heat the clay pot over medium-high heat until the rice boils. Stir gently, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the toppings: Uncover and scatter a layer of chives over the rice, then place the seared sea bass on top. Drizzle oil around the edges of the pot, this is what creates the crispy rice crust. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
Rest and steam: Turn off the heat and leave to steam with the lid on for 7 minutes.
Garnish and serve: Uncover, sprinkle over the white pepper, and drizzle with the sweet soy sauce. Garnish with the bonito flakes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Keyword Fish, Rice, Seafood