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Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice. Poached chicken, served cold. An aromatic broth. An assortment of condiments. Served with fragrant rice. Heaven on a plate !!
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Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the chicken
  • 0.9-1.2 kg 1 whole chicken with skin washed and pat dried
  • 10-12 slices of ginger
  • 4-5 green parts of whole scallions cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 12-14 cups water
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
For the rice
  • 1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati) washed and drained.
  • 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chicken fat
  • 3 cups chicken poaching broth
  • 3 pandan leaves
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
For the scallion oil
  • 3 tbsp of white part of scallions finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp of the green part of scallions finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • kosher salt to taste
For the soy dipping sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp chicken poaching broth
For the garlic-chilli sauce
  • 5-7 fresh red chilies, de-seeded soaked in vinegar
  • 1/2 inch giner
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp chicken poaching broth
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste
To assemble
  • 10-12 cucumber round slices
  • a bowl of chicken poaching broth

Method
 

For poaching the chicken
  1. Remove any excess skin and fat from the chicken. Keep aside.
  2. Massage the chicken (including the cavity) with a generous amount of kosher salt. 
  3. Take water in a soup pot. Bring the water to a boil.
  4. Gently add the chicken to the simmering water. The chicken should be completely immersed in the water. You shall notice that scum shall start to float up to the surface. Keep removing with a ladle.
  5. Now add the ginger slices and scallions, continue to simmer over a low flame.
  6. 20 mins or so, turn the chicken upside down.
  7. Continue to cook over a low flame till the chicken is tender (another 20 minutes or so). A skewer inserted into the thickest part of the bird should come out clean.
  8. Keep an ice bath ready.
  9. Carefully take the chicken out from the simmering broth and plunge it into the ice bath.
  10. Remove the chicken from the ice bath after 30 minutes or so.
  11. Carve out the breast pieces. Slice as shown in the picture. Drizzle with sesame oil and rub gently. Keep aside.
  12. Strain the broth. Keep aside.
For the rice
  1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. Add the chicken fat, fry till golden . Switch off the flame and remove the fat.
  2. Into the same pan, throw in the chopped garlic, fry till light brown. Add the rice, gently sauté for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add 3 cups of the broth.
  4. Add the pandan leaves, tied into a knot, to the rice. Cover and cook until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is perfectly cooked. Give the rice a standing time of 10 minutes or so.
For the scallion sauce
  1. Take the scallions, garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle . Grind to a coarse paste.
  2. Heat oil in a small pan, pour over the garlic-scallion paste. Adjust seasonings.
For the red chilli sauce
  1. Take out the red chillies from the vinegar.
  2. Blend the red chillies, garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.
  3. Add lemon juice, sesame oil, salt and sugar. Drizzle in the broth. Give it all a hearty mix. Adjust seasonings.
For the soy dipping sauce
  1. Mix the oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces and broth. Adjust seasonings.
To assemble
  1. Serve the rice alongside the sliced chicken, a bowl of the hearty broth, the three dipping sauces and cucumber slices. Enjoy !!!