Singapore Style Hainanese Chicken Rice

Recipe: Singapore Style Hainanese Chicken Rice

INGREDIENTS

Poached Chicken

1 large organic whole chicken (4.5lbs)

4 cloves of garlic 

1 thumb size of ginger, bruised 

2 shallots, peeled 

4-5 stalks of scallion 

1 jumbo carrot, chopped

10-12 cups of water (adjust to the size of your stockpot)

1-2 teaspoons of salt

12 cups of ice water

Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of sesame oil 

3 tablespoons of chicken stock

Sprinkle of sugar (mixed well)

Steamed Chicken Rice

2 cups of uncooked rice, washed and drained (preferably Jasmine rice)

2 shallots, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely diced

1 fresh lemon grass, bruised (use only the white part)

1 thumb size of ginger, sliced

5-6 blades of pandan leaf

2 tablespoons of chicken fat (optional)

3 1/4 cups of chicken stock (or cook according to the water measurement on your rice cooker)

3 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 teaspoon of salt

Condiments ::

Ginger Scallion Dipping Sauce 

1 thumb size of ginger

1 stalk of scallion

1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of salt, to taste

3-4 tablespoons of chicken stock

Chilli Sauce

5-6 thumb size fresh red chilli, seeded

3 cloves of garlic 

1/2 thumb size of ginger

1 teaspoon of salt

1+1/2 tablespoon of sugar, to taste

2 tablespoons of lime juice

4 tablespoons of chicken stock

Other ingredients

1 cucumber, roughly peeled and sliced

Some cilantro for garnish (optional)

METHOD

Chicken:

1. To prepare the chicken, first rub the whole chicken with salt, wash and drain well.

2. Boil the water in a stockpot which fits the chicken (big enough to submerge the whole chicken but not too large).

3. Add carrot, garlic, scallions, shallots & salt to the stockpot.

4. When the water is boiled, put in the chicken, cover and bring the water to boil again. Once it's boiled, let it continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes.  After that, lower the heat immediately to simmer for 1 hour or less.  (Depends on the size of your chicken)

5. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and plunge it into ice water. Leave it in the water until it is ready to serve.

6. Reserve the chicken stock for the condiments, rice, sauce and soup. 

Rice:

1. Heat up a wok, add oil, lightly saute garlic, shallot, lemon grass and ginger until aromatic. Then add rice and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

2. Transfer the rice from the wok to rice cooker.  Add chicken stock, chicken fat, pandan leaves and salt.  Stir well, cover and cook according to the rice cooker's instruction.

Condiments:

1. Mix all the ingredients in the food processor or blender and grind finely.

2. Transfer to sauce bowl.

To Serve, place the sliced cucumber on a serving plate. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and arrange them on top of the cucumber slices. Pour in the chicken sauce. Serve with chicken rice, soup and the condiments.