Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients:

1 small 3 1/2-pound chicken

10 cups chicken stock made from good quality chicken stock powder

6 thick slices fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, sliced

5 scallions (green onions -green part only), cut into pieces Pepper

1-2 Tbsp sesame oil

Rice:

4-5 Tbsp chicken fat reserved from rendering tail and fat

1 ½ cups Thai Jasmine rice

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 ½ cups chicken broth (from poaching)

¾ tsp salt

The Sauces: Sweet Soy Sauce Dressing:

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp boiling water

In a small bowl, add sugar to boiling water and then stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.

Ginger Scallion Sauce

2 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled & grated

4 scallions, thinly sliced, green tops reserved

1/4 tsp salt

¼ cup peanut oil

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

Pound the scallions, ginger and salt in a mortar and pestle until a paste form then transfer paste to a heatproof bowl. Heat peanut oil in a small saucepan and when it starts to sizzle, pour over the paste, and mix to combine. Drizzle with sesame oil.

Chili Sauce

4 red Thai chilies, seeded and chopped

2-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

3 garlic cloves

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

½ tsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp chicken broth

Add the chilis, ginger, garlic, salt and sugar to the bowl of a small food processor and pulse to combine. Add the oil, lime juice, vinegar and broth and pulse again to blend into a thick sauce consistency. Transfer to serving bowl.

Make the chicken:

Rinse chicken thoroughly and dry with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut off the tail and then trim all of the excess fat deposits from inside the cavity of the chicken, near the tail and around the neck. Roughly chop the fat and place in a medium saucepan with the tail over very low heat to render for about 20 minutes. Once rendered, remove the tail and the solids -there should be a few tablespoons of fat left. Set aside.

In a large stock pot add the water and chicken stock powder (usually one teaspoon of stock powder per cup of water). Taste it and adjust the salt – it should be a little salty and flavourful. The pot should be large enough, so the chicken doesn’t touch the bottom when the water is added. Add the ginger, garlic and green onion tops to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and then poach at a low simmer for 45 minutes and then remove from heat and let sit for another 15 minutes to continue cooking.

Prepare a large ice bath and transfer the chicken to the bath, submerging completely. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove and drain well.

Drizzle with sesame oil and rub all over. Set aside.

Heat the chicken fat in the medium saucepan.

Add the garlic, and rice and scoop out 2 ½ cups of the chicken poaching broth. Bring to the boil, cover and then simmer on low heat until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve, slice the chicken breast and remove the legs and wings. Arrange chicken on a platter and drizzle with the Sweet Soy Dressing. Arrange sliced cucumber and mounds of rice and bowls of the sauces. Ladle some of the leftover poaching broth into small bowls for those who would like to sip it along with their meal.