Hainanese Chicken Rice

syltel's Note:

Chicken rice is one of my daughters favourite dish so instead of eating it at the chinese restaurants, I have learned to prepare it myself..and it taste just as great!!Dont be daunted by the amount of ingredients or work.It is actually simple and the end result is worth it.Sometimes, instead of using one whole chicken, I would mix chicken bones(for stronger flavor) and other parts of the chicken ie drumstick when boiling for the stock. After taking out the chicken, I would continue boiling the stock with the bones and adding in veg. like carrots, potatoes. To have as soup with the meal.And sometimes I prepare my other chicken recipe "chinese baked chicken" as another choice of style to have with the chicken rice beside the steam chicken.

• Total Time: 24 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 24 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

For the rice

• 3 cups long grain rice
• 2 tablespoons chicken fat, with skin (I know..but it makes the rice taste really good)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 -3 cm ginger, grated
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 -2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock, according to rice package instructions (or more, reserved from chicken that you will boil)
• 2 screwpine leaves (optional..it will make the rice more fragrant)

Hainanese chicken

• 1 whole chicken
• water, enough for boiling chicken
• 1 piece thumb sized ginger, smashed
• 4 -5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed slightly
• 1 teaspoon salt

Chilli garlic sauce for dipping

• 10 fresh red chilies
• 2 cm piece ginger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock (from the boiled chicken. This stock is essential for the chilli sauce)

Ginger sauce for dipping

• 75 g ginger
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock (again stock from the boiled chicken)

Sauce for chicken

• 1 tablespoon garlic oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 5 tablespoons light soya sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth (from boiled chicken)

Garnishing

• fresh coriander leaves
• sliced spring onion
• sliced cucumber

Directions:

1. First of all wash the rice then place it on to a tea towel or colander to dry. Then, prepare the chicken.Bring enough water to boil in a large pot.Once boil, add in the salt, ginger,garlic and chicken. Lower the heat and cook chicken for about 20 - 25 minutes, uncovered. It is very important to boil the chicken very slowly over low flame.Turn of flame and cover the pot. Allow the chicken to steep inside for another 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken and immerse it into a basin of cold water for 5-6 minutes.Take chicken out and drain in a colander to drip dry before cutting it into serving pieces.
2. While the chicken is drip drying, prepare the rice.Heat up wok and add in the chicken fat and water.Bring to a low simmering boil until oil is released from the fat. Add in the ginger and garlic and fry well (without burning the garlic) Remove and discard the chicken fat and skin. Add in the rice that has been dried and salt and stir fry briskly about 1 - 2 minutes.Transfer rice into an electric rice cooker or pot. Add in the chicken broth from the boiled chicken together with the screwpine leaves if using.If cooking in a pot, cook over low flame stirring occasionally so as not to let the bottom of the rice burn.Boil until rice is cook.
3. While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the chilli garlic sauce. Just add all ingredients into a blender or food processor, and give it a good whizz, until ingredients are well blended. Adjust the seasoning with more salt or sugar to taste.The chili garlic sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days only.
4. To prepare the ginger sauce is the same.give the ingredients a good whiz in the blender.What gives the extra oomph for the sauces is the stock from the chicken broth -- so, do not omit this ingredient.
5. Lastly combine all the ingredients for the chicken sauce and pour it all over the cut up chicken. You can add more soya sauce and chicken broth to the chicken if you prefer. Just adjust the taste of the sauce with soya sauce and chicken broth.If you do not have garlic oil,you can fry a few cloves of garlic in oil for few minutes then take out oil and garlic pour it into a jar, and let the garlic steep inside the oil.
6. Finally, garnish the chicken with the coriander leaves, spring onions and cucumbers.
7. Enjoy meal with the rice and dipping sauces!

Reviews

[Rita~]

I made this for Chinese New Year! The Main attraction of my Menu #57892.
I used 2 chickens and stuffed them with ginger, garlic and scallions. Rubbed them with salt. Place into a strainer of a pasta pot. Then into a larger (then the pasta pot) pot of boiling water. The pasta pot was used to place the cooked chicken into the cold water bath. I made two chickens using one to make Hue Chicken Salad Ga Bop.
Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/hue-chicken-salad-ga-bop-166720#ixzz1CvQorE9G I did simmer the chicken for 30 minutes then shut off the flame and let sit for 35 minutes.
FOR THE CHILI SAUCE I used
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoon reserved chicken poaching broth
2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
4 cloves black garlic
1 inch peace of ginger
I didn`t make the ginger sauce. I`m sure it was good but no need for it.
The Chicken was very very very tender.
For the rice I used brown basmati rice (it`s what I had), black garlic, didn`t have the screwpine leaves so skipped them. The rice was great!
The sauce for the chicken I made in the blender after I made the chili sauce using the remains it to add to the sauce for the chicken. Very nice!
I did garnish with parsley but I do suggest using cilantro as called for.

[Chef #366362]

Its as good if not better than in Singapore. You get seconds. Its easier than it seems. I sub the whole chook with lovely thighs. Made all the sauces, love the garlic in all. For the chook sauce, I just use ABC sweet sauce, sasame oil and soup stock, didn't have time to make the garlic oil. It was too delicious. Couldn't wait. Think I can invite some friends over for a meal next time. I also blanch some bok choy in the soup. Just great. My daughter loves it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

[Cass81]

Excellent!