One ingredient I’m unapologetically obsessed with is lạp xưởng—Chinese sausage. Hands down, it was one of my favorite things growing up. We always had a package of it at home. Whether it was fried up with rice, mixed into a quick stir-fry, or just sliced thin and pan-crisped to eat with plain white rice and soy sauce, lap xuong was a staple. Quick, salty, sweet, and packed with umami— and honestly, it just made everything better. Now, I can still remember the first time I had clay pot rice with Chinese sausage at the now-closed New Hong Kong Dim Sum restaurant in Seattle. The crispy bits of rice at the bottom, the smoky soy sauce drizzled on top, and that familiar, savory-sweet lap xuong flavor… I was instantly in love. That dish took everything I already adored and elevated it; this recipe is an homage to those memories. It recreates all those feelings of nostalgia and bliss in a dish that’s incredibly easy to make at home!
Lap xuong (also known as lap cheong in Cantonese) is a sweet and savory cured sausage made with pork and seasoned with rice wine, sugar, and soy sauce. It’s deeply aromatic and slightly chewy, with a signature flavor that’s hard to replicate. In both Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines, lap xuong is a pantry hero—easy to store, quick to prepare, and loaded with flavor. In Vietnam, you’ll often find it in fried rice, sticky rice (xôi), or as part of a simple meal alongside pickled veggies and fish sauce. It’s one of those comfort ingredients that generations have leaned on to make a meal feel complete.
As a kid, we always used the Kam Yen Jan-branded lap xuong, but my new friends over at Quang Tran sent me some of theirs to try! I felt like their story and product both deeply aligned with mine, and I’m happy to report that I love their flavor and texture! Quang Tran’s lap xuong comes in three different variations and I honestly can’t say enough good things about them!
Hong Kong-style clay pot rice, or bo zai fan (煲仔饭), is all about simplicity and texture. Traditionally cooked over a flame in a clay pot, the rice at the bottom crisps up into a golden crust while the toppings—usually marinated meats, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, or greens—steam gently on top. A simple sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar gets poured in at the end, seeping into the rice and giving it that signature glossy, umami-packed finish. The real magic? That crispy rice crust. It’s basically the rice equivalent of the crispy edges of brownies.
It’s super easy to make at home: You don’t even need a traditional clay pot! Any earthenware pot (I’m using a Korean Dolsot), a heavy-bottomed pot, or a cast-iron skillet works beautifully; just make sure it has a lid!
Customizable to your cravings: Think of this as your base recipe. Beyond lap xuong, you can throw in all kinds of toppings to fit your mood and preference:
One-pot wonder: Less mess, more joy! You cook everything directly in the clay pot, making both cooking and clean-up a breeze.
This post is part of a collaboration with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). All opinions…
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I got my Kam Yen Jan Lap Xuong from Amazon and it was the one with best ratings. I cooked it a bit simpler – but, I want to try it this way soon. But, two links sliced at an angle, aids in cooking (softening) the sausage AND flavoring the rice. I just put the slices on top of the rice as it starts to begin to have a simmering boil. Then I cut the temperature down. It was ready in 30 minutes. It takes very boring white rice (sushi) and kicks it way up. I will add chicken thigh pieces next time – mostly precooked. The sauce recipe sounds pretty good. So easy, so flavorful.
Kam Yen Jan is the OG brand! Hope you love my version just as much!