Hainanese Chicken Rice

16 April 2012 - Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hainanese chicken rice is listed at number 45 on World's 50 most delicious foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.  And if that is not reason enough to
cook it, then how about, it is described as the number one of the "40 Singapore foods we can't live without". 


The recipe is from Steamy Kitchen, go there for detailed instructions. (I added things in brackets)

Hainanese Chicken Rice
serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken about 1,8kg, preferably organic (or chicken "kampung")
Kosher salt
10 cm fresh ginger, in 2.5 cm slices
2 stalks green onion, cut into 2.5 cm sections, both the green and white parts
1 tsp sesame oil
(optional aromatics: bay leaves, pandan leaves, garlic, star anise)

For the rice:
2 Tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil (or lard)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2.5 cm section of ginger, finely minced
2 cups long-grain uncooked rice, washed and soaked in cool water for 10 min or longer
2 cups reserved chicken poaching broth
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp kosher salt
(optional aromatics: lemongrass, pandan leaves)

For the chili sauce:
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp reserved chicken poaching broth
2 tsp sugar
4 Tbsp sriracha chili sauce
4 cloves garlic
2.5 cm ginger
a generous pinch of salt, to taste

For the table
Few sprigs cilantro
Accompanying soup: made from the poaching broth seasoned with salt
1 cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into bite-sized chunks
(Soy sauce: 3 tsp shallot and garlic oil, 1 Tbsp sweet soy sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp chicken broth)

Directions:
For the chicken: Scrub the chicken with salt. Stuff it with ginger and green onion. Poach the chicken for about 30 minutes (depends on the chicken size) until cooked. Give an ice water bath. Reserve poaching broth.

For the rice: Stir fry ginger and garlic, add  drained rice, stir 2 min, add sesame oil. Add in rice cooker and cook with 2.5 cups reserved poaching broth plus salt.