Recipe
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Brought to Singapore by the people of Hainan (an island off the southern-most coast of China), this has become a national dish, loved by Singaporeans. Visitors from Southeast Asia have been known to fly in specially for a taste of this gourmet boiled chicken and rice cooked with chicken broth. Freshly ground chilli and garlic sauce, flavoured with chicken stock, add that touch of finesse.
Chicken Ingredients
- One chicken, weighing one-and-a-half kg (3 lbs)
- 20 cups water
- 30 grammes (one oz) fresh young ginger, peeled (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- One plant spring onion, washed
- Half tsp salt
- 2 Tbs vegetable oil
Instructions to Cook
- Wash chicken and remove knobs of fat on either side of the buttocks. Smash the ginger and garlic and tie the spring onions into a knot.
- Stuff the chicken with salt, garlic, ginger and spring onions.
- Boil 20 cups of water in a large pot. Add chicken, breast side down, submerging completely.
- Boil water, turn the heat down to very low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, uncovering once to turn chicken over.
- Remove chicken and drain liquid from the body cavity. Retain liquid for later use.
- Wash under tap water for 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and to tighten the skin.
- Drain, rub some vegetable oil over and let the chicken cool to room temperature.
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and serve garnished with sliced cucumbers and tomatoes. Coriander (cilantro) leaves can be used to decorate the top. Keep broth for cooking rice and making a simple soup with sliced cabbage.
Chicken Rice Ingredients
- 360 grammes (12 oz) long grain rice
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
- 5 shallots or onions, peeled and chopped finely
- Two-and-a-half Tbs vegetable oil
- Three-quarter to three-and-a-half cups chicken broth
- Three-quarter tsp salt
Instructions to Cook
- Wash rice and drain in a colander for 10 minutes
- Heat two-and-a-half Tbs vegetable oil over high heat in a wok. Add shallots and stir fry for one minute till fragrant. Add garlic and stir fry for one minute.
- Add the rice grains and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a saucepan or rice cooker and add the chicken broth and salt. Boil over high heat and lower down the heat to steam the rice when the water level reaches the level of the rice grains and steam holes appear. Steam for 30 to 40 minutes till rice is cooked.
Chilli Sauce Ingredients
- 60 grammes (2 oz) fresh red chilli peppers
- 30 grammes (1 oz) shallots or onions
- 30 grammes (1 oz) garlic
- 30 grammes (1 oz) fresh young ginger (optional)
- Half cup boiling chicken broth
- 4 tsp lime or lemon juice
- One tsp rice or malt vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- One tsp salt
Sauce Preparation Instructions
- Peel shallots, ginger and garlic and pound till very fine. Pound chillies will very fine. Or use a food processor to grind the ingredients.
- Put all into a bowl and add the boiling chicken broth. Add remaining ingredients, cool and leave for at least one hour before serving. This chilli sauce can be stored in the refridgerator for at least 2 weeks.