Hainanese Chicken Rice Singapore

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 600 g rice (long grain), washed, e.g. Thai rice
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying
• 7 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 onion(s), finely chopped
• 3 tbsp chicken broth, for the cooking water
• 6 tsp chicken broth
• 3 pieces of ginger root, thumb-sized, ground
• 3 tsp oil (garlic)
• 3 tsp oil (onion)
• 8 pandan leaves
• 5 tsp salt
• 1 chicken
• 5 spring onions
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 small cucumber(s)
• 1 bunch of coriander leaves
• 2 tsp soy sauce, light
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• 1 small chili pepper(s), ground
• 1 tsp sugar
• 30 ice cubes
• 50 ml lemon juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 55 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 25 minutes

This recipe is originally from Hainan, China, but has been adapted to suit local tastes in Singapore. Hence the Singapore tag; it tastes authentic.

The chicken is served cold over warm rice, so don’t be surprised if you’re told to put the chicken in ice water later. The recipe consists of three parts: First, prepare the rice, then the chicken, and while both are cooking, make the two sauces (chili and soy chicken sauces). Rice: Heat a pan/wok over medium heat and sauté the onions with four crushed garlic cloves until fragrant. Now take the uncooked and washed rice and pour it into the pan. Mix everything together. Place the rice in the rice cooker and add the following ingredients: chicken fat, three teaspoons of chicken stock, six pandan leaves, a thumb-sized piece of ground ginger, one tablespoon of garlic oil, one tablespoon of onion oil, and two teaspoons of salt. Mix everything well. Cook the rice in the rice cooker according to the instructions. Chicken: Heat water in a pot large enough to hold the chicken. Wash the chicken and stuff it with the chopped spring onions and a thumb-sized piece of ground ginger. Rub the chicken well with 2 teaspoons of salt. Add 3 tablespoons (or to taste) of chicken stock, carrot, and 4 pandan leaves. Once the water boils, add the chicken. Salt can be added, but I prefer to do this after the chicken is cooked, as I have already rubbed the chicken with salt. Now reduce the heat. Cooking time is about 45 minutes. It’s best to prepare the sauces now; see the steps below. Prepare ice water. Remove the chicken from the water after 45 minutes and place it in the ice water bath for 10 minutes. Then fillet the chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped chicken to the rice. To shape the rice into a round shape, first transfer it to a plastic container, press it in, and then turn it out. Add the chicken stock and cucumbers, cut lengthwise into strips, as well as the soy and chili sauce. Garnish with cilantro. Sauces: Please ensure that the chili is used sparingly for the chili sauce. Chicken soy sauce: Mix two teaspoons of light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of chicken broth, 3 teaspoons of sesame oil, and 3 teaspoons of garlic and onion oil. Chicken chili sauce: Grind the chili, press a garlic clove, grind a thumb-sized piece of ginger, mix 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of chicken broth, and 50 ml of lemon juice.