Hainanese Chicken Rice
I love chicken rice, but i don't enjoy cooking and dealing with a whole chicken so i only use chicken breasts or thighs (this time).
The sauces really make this dish and they're so easy to make, so make sure you don't leave them out!!
The recipes for the chicken rice and spring onion oil are actually taken from Poh, a contestant in MasterChef Australia a few years back. So, it's mostly hers with just a few changes and future notes to myself!
The recipe for the chilli is taken from The MeatMen. I didn't have chilli padi, so the chilli didn't turn out to be super spicy. Very mild.
Ingredients
Rice
2 tbsp vegetable oil (i used Rice Bran oil) 5 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped (i love garlic, so i more than doubled the original amount) 3 slices ginger, 5 mm thick 4 cups (600 g) jasmine rice, washed, drained (this cup measurement is rice cup; if you're not sure, just use weight) 1 tsp salt 2 pandan leaves, washed and knotted 4 ½ cups chicken stock (to reduce sodium, i used 4 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of water and no salt)
Spring Onion Ginger Oil
A bunch of spring onion, finely sliced, about 1/2 rice bowl
1 piece of ginger, grated (depends on how ginger-y you like it, recommended was 6cm piece, i only used a 1cm piece cause i'm not crazy about ginger, but i would definitely use more in the future)
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil (i used rice bran oil - change the amount depending on the amount of your spring onions)
Steam Chicken Thighs
Cleaned chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and fat-less
Your choice of seasoning:
Hua Diao Jiu
Sesame Oil
Salt
Spring Onion Ginger Oil
Chilli
80g fresh red chilli
40g ginger
8 cloves garlic
1.5 tsp white vinegar
1.5 tsp lime/lemon juice
1.5 tsp chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil (i used lesser, the recommended is 1 tbsp)
Directions
Rice
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the ginger and sauté until fragrant and slightly golden. When about done, add in the minced garlic.
Add the rice and stir to toast the grains for a while.
Add the salt, pandan leaves and chicken stock, stir and bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until the surface is dotted with pits and no liquid is visible.
Reduce to the lowest heat and cook for another 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and rest for 15 minutes before uncovering and fluffing with a fork.
Cover and set aside.
Steam Chicken Thighs
Marinate your chicken thighs in a heat proof bowl.
Even if you don't have time, it's ok - just add stronger flavours, so more wine and more spring onion ginger, then just steam it till cooked.
(Sorry for blur picture - was too eager to eat!!)
Spring Onion Ginger Oil
Combine the sliced spring onion, grated ginger and salt in a heat-proof bowl (no plastic!)
Heat up the oil till smoking.
Place the bowl in the sink and pour the hot oil into the bowl. (It will splatter a bit, but not too violently)
Mix and set aside.
Chilli
Add all the ingredients into a blender except for the sesame oil.
Blend till super smooth.
Transfer into a bowl and add sesame oil.
Not using a whole chicken was much easier and faster to cook this.
ENJOY!