How to Use an Unglazed Clay Pot / Palayok

When my family and I visited Ilocos, I bought a small clay pot or palayok at an earthenware stall. Weary of my past failures of cooking in an unglazed clay pot, I asked the vendor for any advice. She said to look for ones that do not have any cracks or holes on the bottom. Her advice sounded too easy. I was skeptical. After all, my previous one did not have any crack, but it smelled like dirt and leached water.

She further demonstrated how to tell which ones were not good. She picked up an uncracked pot and lightly knocked on the bottom which created a deep, low pitch.  Then she showed me a cracked one and gently knocked on it, which produced a higher pitch. Curious, I picked up other pots and started knocking on their bottoms too.

The vendor also warned me not to wash it with any soap because the clay will absorb the detergent. She said to wash it with water and salt. At this point, I wanted to buy a palayok. I could give clay pot cooking another try. My previous failed attempts broke my heart, but I still longed to make vegan Bibingka with it.

Perhaps what finally convinced me was that the vendor confirmed the pot could work on an electric stove. Unlike most palayoks, the one she was selling has a flat bottom. It was as if she knew I could only cook on an electric stove (my condo building won’t allow open flames). So for P200 (four dollars), I bought one and took it home.

Following the vendor’s advice as well as the instructions from my aunties and the Internet, I started seasoning my clay pot. Lo and behold, which much patience, the clay pot did not leak! The pot successfully boiled water which served as the first step in seasoning it properly. A cookbook suggested I wipe it with oil, but I made the mistake of pouring oil inside the pot and leaving it overnight, instead of just wiping it. The pot fully absorbed the oil, and smoke would come out whenever I heat the clay pot.

I thought the smoke belonged to yet another failed attempt and I would have throw away my pot. But my husband said to let it smoke until all oil burns off. Sure enough, it eventually did. With my revived confidence, I cooked my first clay pot dish, rice.

The rice came out a little raw on top and mushy on the bottom. But aside from texture, the smell and flavor were divine! It smelled and tasted like toasted rice, yet nothing was toasted. I realized if I adjust the heat, the rice will come out better next time. So for the next batch, I cooked using low heat, and after five minutes, I turned it up to medium heat. Once the rice has absorbed most of the water, I lowered down the heat again. I turned off the heat once the rice has fully absorbed the water and waited until the rice was ready. This time, the rice came out perfect, not too mushy, not too firm.

After my successful batch, I couldn’t go back to my rice cooker anymore. There’s something about cooking in a clay pot that hooked me into it. I experimented with my next batches. Other times the rice had pandan leaves and other times it had banana leaves. Out of joy, I posted photos of my clay pot rice on social media. As it turns out, family and friends have tried clay pot cooking too. Some suggested sprinkling salt, while others suggested adding a teaspoon of vinegar for better look and flavor. I took all their suggestions, and I had even better results.

Other people online have asked me questions too. They said they also wanted to buy one and wanted to get my feedback on how to properly use it. I wasn’t expecting a lot of reaction from friends and followers about my clay pot. After all, using a rice cooker proves to be much more convenient than having to care for a palayok. But I was wrong, as it turns out a lot of people wanted to get back to the old ways of unglazed clay pot cooking.

So in this post, I am sharing what I have learned so far. Hopefully, my tips will prevent you from making the same mistakes I did in the past. And if you have anything to add, please feel free to share away. I am looking forward to learning from you too as I am still very much of a student in this process of cooking.

 

HOW TO BUY AN UNGLAZED CLAY POT/ PALAYOK:

1. In the Philippines, check your local public markets and farmers market. If you live in the US, visit your local Asian grocery stores and Filipino grocery stores.
2. Clay pots are fragile, and they sometimes break during the shipment to the store. Meticulously look for any cracks or holes. Lightly knock on the bottom of the pot. If it creates a high pitch, it’s cracked.
3. The shape of the pot matters if you have an electric or gas stove. Look for ones that have a flat bottom. If you have a firewood stove, even better! Also, lucky you!
4. Double check with the vendor if you can cook in it. Some clay pots are for decoration only. Others are just for planting. Sometimes you can tell by smelling it. If the clay pot smells strongly of soil or wax, it’s probably not for cooking.

 

HOW TO SEASON CLAY POTS/ PALAYOK:

1. Soak the clay pot in water for 20-30 minutes. Rinse to remove all dirt. Do not wash with soap.
2. Fill up with water 3/4 of the way. Add a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and place on the stove.
   Heat over low heat (about level 2).
3. After about five minutes, turn up the heat to medium (about level 4). Let it cook until boiling. This will take about 30-45 minutes, sometimes longer.
4. Turn off heat. Pour out the water, do a final rinse, and let the clay pot dry. Congratulations you have seasoned your clay pot!

 

HOW TO COOK RICE IN CLAY POTS/ PALAYOK:

1. The ratio of water to rice depends on the kind of rice you’re cooking. For me, I have been cooking with polished white rice, and I use the ratio 1:2. However, I would like to try cooking with heartier starch like red rice on my next batches. Based on my research, increase the water by one cup, as in 1:3, if you have a heartier grain.
2. For better flavor, sprinkle some salt before cooking your rice. For better look and taste, add a teaspoon of white vinegar per about 3 cups of rice.
3. If you’d like to infuse aroma and flavor, insert 2-3 pandan leaves in your uncooked rice before turning on the stove. You can buy pandan leaves at public markets and grocery stores here in Manila or at Asian grocery stores if you’re in the US or other countries.
4. Another way to infuse flavor is to line your clay pot with banana leaves. This method also prevents your rice from sticking on the bottom of the pot, which makes for easier cleanup. You can buy banana leaves at public markets and grocery stores here in Manila or at Asian grocery stores if you’re in the US or other countries.
5. Turn on the stove to low heat (about level 2). After about five minutes, turn up the heat to medium (about level 4) and let it cook for 30-40 minutes or until the pot has little water. Once the pot has only a little water left, turn down the heat (back to level 2). You will notice that the rice won’t boil over unlike cooking in other pots. Once the rice has fully absorbed the water, turn off the heat.  Let it sit until the rice is ready. You can check if it’s ready by fluffing the rice with a fork or taking a bit to taste.

 

HOW TO CLEAN CLAY POTS/ PALAYOK:

1. Wash with water and rock salt. Do not use any dishwashing soap. Clay pots are incredibly porous, and they can absorb the detergent.
2. For tough cleanup jobs, I usually use a brush. If all else fails, I will use a natural, plant-based dishwashing liquid without any weird chemicals.
3. Rinse and dry.

 

So far, these are the things I’ve learned from using my clay pot. If you have more questions, ask away. I may have more answers for you as I keep cooking.

When it all comes down it, I’ve learned the joys and rewards of trying something new. Sure, I have made mistakes from my trial and error, but I have gained so much than not trying at all. I understand I’ve barely scratched the surface in uncovering the potential of my clay pot. After all, I have only made rice and a couple of soups on my electric stove. Hopefully, someday, I get to bake with it too -over hot charcoal! Now that’s exciting!