Hainanese Chicken Rice
SERVES: FOUR
PREP TIME: 1.5 HOURS
COOK TIME: 20 MINS
Ingredients
1.5 TO 2KG WHOLE CHICKEN
1 BUNCH SPRING ONION, ROUGHLY CHOPPED (PLUS EXTRA TO SERVE)
LARGE KNOB GINGER, SLICED
3 CLOVES GARLIC
10 TO 12 CUPS WATER (OR TO MOSTLY COVER CHICKEN)
FOR THE RICE
CHICKEN FAT (CUT FROM BACK CAVITY OF CHICKEN)
2 TO 3 CUPS UNCOOKED WHITE RICE (THOROUGHLY WASHED)
2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
PINCH SALT
3 TO 4 CUPS STOCK (LIQUID FROM COOKING CHICKEN)
FOR CHILLI SAUCE
4 RED CHILLIES, DESEEDED
5CM KNOB GINGER (I ALSO ADDED GALANGAL AS I HAD SOME)
2 CLOVES GARLIC
1 TBSP SUGAR OF CHOICE (I USED BROWN)
GENEROUS PINCH SALT
2 TSP RICE WINE VINEGAR
1 TSP SESAME OIL
1 TSP TAMARI (SUB SOY SAUCE)
1 TSP LEMON JUICE
FOR THE GARLIC GINGER SAUCE
1/3 CUP NEUTRAL OIL
5CM KNOB GINGER
2 TBSP GINGER
PINCH SALT
FOR THE STICKY SWEET SOY SAUCE
1/3 TBSP KECAP MANIS
1/2 CUP WATER
2 TBSP CASTER SUGAR
TO SERVE
SLICED CUCUMBER
SLICED TOMATO
TORN CORIANDER
SLICED SPRING ONION
FRIED SHALLOTS
Utensils
SHARP KNIVES
FOOD PROCESSOR
WOK OR MEDIUM TO LARGE FRYPAN
MORTAR AND PESTLE
CAST IRON POT OR LARGE SAUCEPAN/POT WITH LID
RICE COOKER (OR OVER STOVE VIA ABSORPTION METHOD)
Method
WASH YOUR CHICKEN, MAKING SURE TO RESERVE CHICKEN FAT FROM BACK CAVITY. PAT DRY WITH PAPER TOWEL AND RUB WITH SALT ALL OVER (THIS HELPS TO REMOVE MOISTURE FROM THE SKIN AND WILL GIVE THE CHICKEN’S SKIN A BEAUTIFUL SHEEN WHEN COOKED)
PLACE YOUR AROMATICS INTO YOUR POT, FILLING UP WITH WATER AND BRING TO THE BOIL. GIVE YOUR CHICKEN A QUICK RINSE ONCE OVER BEFORE PLACING INTO THE POT. MAKE SURE (IF ANYTHING) ONLY THE BREASTS ARE BOBBING ABOVE THE WATER. PLACE LID ON AND REDUCE TO A SIMMER
I HAD A 2KG CHICKEN SO I SIMMERED ON LOW FOR 16-17 MINUTES BEFORE TURNING HEAT OFF COMPLETELY (RESIDUAL COOKING METHOD). YOU’RE GOING TO LET THIS SIT FOR AROUND 45 TO 50 MINS AND MOVE ONTO YOUR SAUCES
PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHILLI SAUCE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLITZ (YOU MAY NEED TO SCRAPE THE SIDES DOWN ONCE OR TWICE). ONCE FINE AND COMBINED, HAVE A TASTE TO MAKE SURE FLAVOURS ARE BALANCED AND YOU’VE GOT A PUNCHY CHILLI FLAVOUR COMING THROUGH. TRANSFER TO A SMALL BOWL AND SET ASIDE
RINSE FOOD PROCESSOR AND USE AGAIN TO BLITZ GARLIC AND GINGER FOR THIS SAUCE BEFORE HEATING THE OIL IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD GARLIC AND GINGER, COOKING FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL FRAGRANT AND SLIGHTLY CARAMELISED/GOLDEN. ADD A PINCH OF SALT, STIRRING THROUGH BEFORE REMOVING FROM THE HEAT TO COOL
LASTLY, FOR YOUR STICKY SWEET SOY SAUCE, ADD YOUR SUGAR AND WATER INTO ANOTHER SMALL SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT, UNTIL SUGAR DISSOLVES. SIMMER ON LOW FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL IT STARTS TO THICKEN AND A SIMPLE SYRUP BEGINS TO FORM. TURN OFF HEAT AND STIR THROUGH KECAP MANIS
ONCE 45 TO 50 MINUTES HAS PASSED, RETURN TO YOUR CHICKEN
CHECK IF IT’S COOKED BY LIFTING OUT OF THE WATER AND PLACING A SKEWER INTO THE THICKEST PART OF THE BREAST. PRESS DOWN WITH THE BACK OF A SPOON, ENCOURAGING JUICES TO EMERGE. IF JUICES RUN CLEAR, CHICKEN IS COOKED. IF PINK OR SLIGHTLY CLOUDY, KEEP COOKING FOR ANOTHER 5 TO 10 MINUTES AND CHECK AGAIN
ONCE YOU’VE DONE THIS, PREPARE AN ICE BATH IN A BIG BOWL. PLACE CHICKEN INTO THE BATH TO STOP THE COOKING PROCESS AND TRAP ALL THE MOISTURE (FOR AROUND 10 MINUTES)
WHILE DOING THIS, RINSE YOUR RICE (UNTIL WATER RUNS CLEAR) AND HEAT WOK OVER MEDIUM/HIGH HEAT. RENDER THE CHICKEN FAT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE ADDING MINCED GARLIC. FRY BEFORE ADDING YOUR UNCOOKED RICE. CONTINUOUSLY STIR RICE FOR ANOTHER MINUTE OR TWO, UNTIL FRAGRANT. REMOVE FROM HEAT
REMOVE YOUR CHICKEN FROM ICE BATH AND PLACE ASIDE ON A TRAY OR IN A BOWL UNTIL READY TO BE CARVED AND SERVED (COVER WITH CLING WRAP)
TRANSFER YOUR RICE FROM YOUR WOK TO RICE COOKER, ADDING THE SAME NUMBER OF CUPS (+ USUALLY 1 TO 1/2 MORE) OF COOKING LIQUID FROM THE CHICKEN, AS WELL AS A PINCH OF SALT. STIR ONCE BEFORE PLACING LID ON AND PRESSING START
MAKE SURE ALL YOUR SAUCES ARE IN RAMEKINS OR SMALL BOWLS AND YOUR OTHER INGREDIENTS ARE READY TO BE SERVED
ONCE RICE IS FINISHED, CUT AND SERVE YOUR CHICKEN (TAKING CARE WITH THE SKIN WHEN SLICING). SERVE ALONGSIDE SEASONED RICE, SAUCES, CUCUMBER, TOMATO, TOPPING CHICKEN WITH SPRING ONION, TORN CORIANDER AND FRIED SHALLOTS. ENJOY!
