Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南鸡饭

January 9, 2017 Christina One Dish Meals, Poultry 0

This dish, although involving many steps, gives me a high sense of satisfaction when I see my family enjoying it. It may be less tasty from the ones sold outside, but it is definitely healthier with the type of oil and ingredients used. 

Ingredients

Preparing the chicken

  1. 1 whole Chicken, I use Sakura chicken
  2. 1 small thumb of Ginger, cleaned and bruised
  3. 6 stalks Spring onion, washed
  4. 10 cups Water or Chicken stock (if you have)
  5. 6 Pandan leaves
  6. 1 Carrot, cut into big pieces
  7. 2 tsp Salt for rubbing on the chicken
  8. 1 tsp of salt for the water

Preparing the sauce

  1. 3 cups Rice
  2. 5 tbsp Vegetable oil
  3. 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  4. 4 Shallots, minced
  5. 1.5 cups Chicken broth (taken later from the pool of water used to cook the chicken)
  6. 6 Pandan leaves
  7. 1 small thumb of Ginger, cleaned and bruised
  8. 1 tbsp Garlic and Shallot oil
  9. 70g Chicken fats (cut this out from the chicken)
  10. 1 tsp Salt (you may omit this if you want a saltless rice)

Preparing the sauce

  1. 2 tbsp Light soya sauce
  2. 2 tbsp Chicken broth
  3. 3 tsp Sesame oil
  4. 3 tsp Garlic and shallot oil

Preparing the chilli sauce （See recipe here)

  1. 5 Chillies
  2. 7 Shallots
  3. 6 Limes
  4. Half bulb Garlic
  5. Salt to taste
  6. Sugar to taste
  7. Apple cider vinegar to taste
  8. Sesame oil (optional)

Method

Cooking the chicken

  1. Wash the chicken and dry it with kitchen towel.
  2. Rub the chicken with the salt and massage it.
  3. Stuff ginger and spring onion into the cavity of the chicken.
  4. Boil water in a pot (big enough to put the chicken and carrots in) and put in the chicken with pandan leaves, carrot and salt.
  5. Put the chicken breast down and boil for 40 minutes. If the chicken is big, you may extend it to 50 minutes.
  6. Prepare a big bowl of cold water.
  7. When done, remove chicken and immediately put the chicken into the cold water for 10 mins.
  8. Keep the water for later use.
  9. Drain the chicken, thrwo away the ginger and spring onions.
  10. Set it aside for cutting up later while you prepare the rice and chilli sauce.

Cooking the rice

  1. Heat oil in wok and fry shallots and garlic till fragrant.
  2. Add rice and stir well.
  3. Transfer the rice mixture to rice cooker.
  4. Add chicken broth to cover the rice.
  5. Add pandan leaves, ginger, garlic and shallot oil, chicken fats and salt into rice mixture.
  6. Serve with chilli sauce and broth.