Cuisine : Hainanese Chicken Rice - Steps to prepare this Asian dish

 

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a beloved dish originating from Hainan, China, and is especially popular in Singapore and Malaysia. It features poached chicken and seasoned rice, served with various sauces. Here's a detailed recipe to prepare this delicious dish at home:

 Ingredients

 For the Chicken

- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)

- 2 tablespoons salt

- 5 slices of ginger

- 3-4 stalks of scallions, tied into knots

- 1 tablespoon sesame oil

 For the Rice

- 2 cups jasmine rice

- 2-3 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 3 slices ginger

- 4 cups chicken stock (from poaching the chicken)

- 1-2 pandan leaves, knotted (optional)

- 1 teaspoon salt

 For the Sauces

- Ginger-Scallion Sauce:

  - 3 tablespoons grated ginger

  - 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions

  - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  - Salt to taste

- Chili Sauce:

  - 3-4 red chilies, chopped

  - 2 cloves garlic, chopped

  - 1-inch piece ginger, chopped

  - 2 tablespoons lime juice

  - 1 tablespoon sugar

  - Salt to taste

- Soy Sauce Mixture:

  - 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

  - 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

  - 1 teaspoon sugar

  - 2 tablespoons chicken stock (from poaching)

 Instructions

 Preparing the Chicken

1. **Clean the Chicken**:

   - Rub the chicken all over with salt to exfoliate the skin, then rinse thoroughly.

2. **Poach the Chicken**:

   - Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the chicken and bring to a boil.

   - Add the ginger slices and scallion knots to the pot.

   - Lower the chicken into the pot, breast side down. Ensure it's fully submerged.

   - Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer. Poach the chicken for about 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through (internal temperature should reach 75°C or 165°F).

   - Occasionally skim off any foam that forms on the surface.

3. **Chill the Chicken**:

   - Prepare an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water).

   - Once the chicken is done, transfer it immediately into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and tighten the skin. Leave it for about 10-15 minutes.

   - Remove from the ice bath, pat dry, and rub the chicken skin with sesame oil.

4. **Carve the Chicken**:

   - Once cooled, carve the chicken into serving pieces.

Preparing the Rice

1. **Render Chicken Fat**:

   - If using chicken fat, render it in a pan over medium heat until you have enough oil. Discard any solids.

   - Alternatively, heat vegetable oil in a pan.

2. **Cook Aromatics**:

   - Add minced garlic and ginger slices to the oil and sauté until fragrant.

3. **Cook the Rice**:

   - Add the jasmine rice to the pan and stir to coat each grain with the aromatic oil.

   - Transfer the rice mixture to a rice cooker.

   - Add the chicken stock and pandan leaves (if using).

   - Cook the rice according to the rice cooker’s instructions.

Preparing the Sauces

1. **Ginger-Scallion Sauce**:

   - Heat the vegetable oil until hot but not smoking.

   - Pour over the grated ginger and chopped scallions, mix well, and season with salt to taste.

2. **Chili Sauce**:

   - Blend the red chilies, garlic, ginger, lime juice, sugar, and salt into a smooth sauce.

3. **Soy Sauce Mixture**:

   - Mix the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and chicken stock together.

 Serving

1. **Plate the Chicken**:

   - Arrange the carved chicken pieces on a serving platter.

   - Drizzle a bit of the soy sauce mixture over the chicken.

2. **Serve with Rice**:

   - Serve the fragrant rice on the side.

3. **Accompaniments**:

   - Serve with the ginger-scallion sauce, chili sauce, and remaining soy sauce mixture on the side.

   - Optionally, serve with cucumber slices and fresh cilantro as garnish.

Enjoy your homemade Hainanese Chicken Rice!