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Claypot Dried Chilli Frog Leg Porridge

Singapore-style claypot frog leg porridge featuring tender frog legs, toasted dried chilli and slow-simmered rice for a comforting, hawker-inspired one-pot meal.

Claypot Dried Chilli Frog Leg Porridge

About this dish

Claypot Dried Chilli Frog Leg Porridge is a heartland favourite reimagined for the home kitchen: imagine the kind of soothing bowl you’d order from a zi char stall or a late-night kopitiam supper, but cooked gently in a claypot so the rice breaks down into a silky, glossy congee. The dish balances gentle savoury stock with an aromatic dried chilli oil and ginger lift that wakes up Singapore palates accustomed to bold hawker flavours.

This porridge suits rainy nights, family dinners or recovery suppers after a long day at the office in the CBD. Frog legs give a clean white-meat texture—delicate like chicken but springier—so they work perfectly against the creamy mouthfeel of slow-simmered rice. The dried chilli is toasted and infused into oil for a smoky, slightly fruity heat; you can dial it down for kids or up for those who love chilli padi heat, a common local preference.

Serve it family-style with youtiao, achar or a small bowl of sambal for people who want extra kick. It’s also a practical recipe for Singapore home cooks: you can start the porridge in a rice cooker or pot and finish in a claypot, or use a heavy-bottomed saucepan if you don’t have a claypot. The result is comforting, restorative and very Singapore — think neighbourhood kopitiam meets cosy home cooking in Tiong Bahru or an East Coast apartment.

Ingredients

  • 500 g frog legs, cleaned (approx. 8–10 legs)
  • 200 g jasmine rice (about 1 cup), rinsed
  • 1.5 L chicken stock or light fish stock
  • 2–3 dried chillies (dried chilli padi or bird's eye dried chillies), toasted and roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or peanut) for chilli oil
  • 1 thumb (30 g) ginger, julienned
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce (optional, for umami)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (optional)
  • 2 stalks spring onion, chopped (separate white & green parts)
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp fried shallots (for garnish)
  • Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), a small handful for garnish
  • Juice of 1/2 lime (optional, to brighten)
  • 1 small claypot (about 1.5–2 L) or heavy-bottomed pot
  • Salt to taste
  • Optional: 1 egg, beaten (for a silkier porridge finish)
  • Optional: sambal or achar to serve

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear and drain well; set aside. This helps the porridge become silky rather than gluey.
  2. Bring the frog legs to a brief blanch in boiling water (1–2 minutes) to remove impurities, then drain and pat dry. Reserve.
  3. Make the chilli oil: heat the neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat, add the toasted dried chillies, sliced garlic and shallot whites, and fry gently until fragrant and slightly browned — about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and set the chilli oil and solids aside.
  4. In the claypot or heavy-bottomed pot, add the rinsed rice and 1.5 L chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat with the lid off to monitor. Once it boils, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. After the rice has simmered for about 20–25 minutes and begun to break down, add the julienned ginger, Shaoxing wine (if using), light soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir and continue to simmer; adjust the heat so the porridge maintains a gentle simmer.
  6. Add the blanched frog legs into the porridge when the rice is soft but still has some body (around 30–35 minutes total). Gently nestle the frog legs into the porridge and simmer for another 8–10 minutes, or until frog legs are cooked through and tender. Do not overcook to avoid toughening the meat.
  7. Spoon in about half of the prepared chilli oil and solids, tasting as you go. Adjust seasoning with salt, a little more light soy or white pepper — like at a zi char stall, taste and adjust to your preference.
  8. If using, stir in the beaten egg in a thin stream off-heat for a silkier texture, then return to very low heat for 1 minute. Finish with toasted sesame oil and the green parts of the spring onion.
  9. Ladle into bowls, top with remaining chilli oil or extra fried shallots, chopped coriander and an optional squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with youtiao, achar or sambal on the side.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy frog legs from wet markets (nearby heartland markets) or the chilled seafood aisle at Cold Storage/NTUC; ask the vendor to remove membranes for you to save prep time.
  • Adjust dried chilli quantity: use 1–2 for mild heat, 3–4 for a more authentic chilli padi kick. Remove seeds to tame the heat for kids.
  • If you don’t have a claypot, use a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and cook gently to replicate the slow, even heat.
  • Start the porridge in a rice cooker (use extra stock, 1:7 rice-to-liquid) and finish in a claypot to get the browned, slightly caramelised edges that give extra flavour.
  • To make ahead: cook the porridge and store separately from frog legs for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat gently with extra stock and add frog legs to warm through before serving.
  • For extra body, soak rice in water for 20 minutes before cooking; for thinner porridge, add more stock as it simmers. Taste and season like a zi char cook would — balance salt, sweet and umami.
  • Leftovers reheat well for lunchboxes — add a splash of water or stock and reheat slowly to loosen the porridge.

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