Hainanese Chicken Rice

Previously, the Swallow shared the recipe for 'Garlic Chilli Sauce'.  The Swallow mentioned that the chilli sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce whenever Steamboat is served.  But that is only a secondary usage.  So what is the first?

For chicken rice of course!

There will always be a time when the whole family craves for Chicken Rice, and when this happens, the Swallow will cook Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Hainanese Chicken Rice Set

Although it is called Hainanese Chicken Rice, apparently it did not originate there. Anyway, the recipe used here consists of 3 parts:

• the Chicken
• the Rice
• the Chilli sauce

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE (serves 4 - 6)

The Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, about 1.5kg
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 pieces ginger
• boiling water
• 2 tsp salt
• sesame oil
• 1 Japanese cucumber
• Coriander & parsley, if desired

Method

1. Clean the chicken.  Place the garlic and the ginger inside the chicken.
2. Pour enough boiling water into a pot to cover the chicken.  Bring the water to a boil again at high heat, lower the fire to medium heat and simmer the chicken on for about 20 minutes.  DO NOT COVER THE POT as the chicken may be tough.  Turn the chicken over occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, halve the cucumber and slice it diagonally.
4. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the chicken in the boiling water for another 5 minutes.  Then remove the chicken and season it with salt and sesame oil (just enough to make the chicken glisten).  Use the remaining stock to cook the rice.
5. Cut the chicken into pieces and arrange it on the bed of cucumber slices.  Garnish with the coriander and parsley, if desired.

The Rice

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp onion, chopped
• 3 cups rice
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
• 1/2 chicken stock cube, if desired
• chicken stock from cooking the chicken

Method

1. Wash and drain the rice.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a non-stick frying pan.  Fry the chopped onions until light golden brown.
3. Add the rice and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
4. Put the rice in the rice pot.  Add the salt, the knotted screwpine leaves, chicken stock cube (if desired), and stir well.
5. Add enough chicken stock to cover it, and set the rice pot to cook.
6. When the rice is ready, remove the screwpine leaves and fluff the rice.
7. Serve hot with the cut chicken and chilli sauce.

Notes

• If the chicken is not fully consumed, the Swallow uses the remaining cooked chicken for another dish 'Hakka Salted Chicken'.