Hainanese Chicken Rice 海南鸡飯

I always view from local TV programmes with foreign visitors saying that eating Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice  (海南鸡飯) is a must when they visit Singapore. I really had no idea why. Singapore being a Food (and Shopping) Paradise had plenty of other dishes to offer. Check out Singapore Food Festival 2007 which is on from 29 June to 31 July 2007.

To my foreign readers ... if you do love this dish, you can do it on your own. Next time, when you visit Singapore, do try other dishes, okay?

Ingredients for Chicken:

• 1 Chicken, preferably Kampong Chicken
• 8 clove Garlic, lightly smashed with skin intact
• 5 slices Ginger
• 1 - 2 teaspoon Salt
• Water

How to do it:

1. Stuff garlic and ginger in chicken and seal with toothpick.
2. Blanch chicken.
3. Boil a pot of water and add salt.
4. Simmer the chicken for about 20 - 25 minutes or till cooked.
5. Retain broth for use on rice, chilli sauce and soup.
6. Plunge chicken in ice water for about 15 minutes or till chicken is no longer hot.
7. Remove from water and drip dry.
8. Cut chicken into pieces.

Ingredients for Rice:

• 3 cup Long Grain Rice,
• Broth from cooking chicken
• 4 slices Ginger
• 5 glove Garlic, lightly smashed with skin intact
• 8 Pandan leaves, tied in a knot
• Salt to taste

How to do it:

1. In a wok, add 2 teaspoon oil, preferably oil from frying chicken skin or the congealed fats you get when you refrigerate your chicken broth. Otherwise, vegetable oil is fine.
2. Saute ginger and garlic till fragrant.
3. Add in washed rice and saute till rice is coated well with the oil.
4. Add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon is enough).
5. Stir to mix well.
6. Pour rice with ginger and garlic to your rice cooker.
7. Add in broth from chicken you cooked earlier instead of your usual water.
8. Add in the pandan leaves.
9. Let your rice cooker do the cooking. ;)

A bowl of soup is always served with a plate of Chicken Rice. Just in case, you get choked for eating too fast. Hehehe ...

To make broth more tasty, return the bones from the chicken to broth and continue simmering for another hour. Retain 5 tablespoon of the broth for the Chilli Sauce.

Add salt to taste. Add some shredded lettuce in a bowl and pour soup over it. Serve with the Chicken Rice.



How can you eat Chicken Rice without the Chicken Rice Chilli?!! You are missing one of the essences of eating Chicken Rice! Well, unless you are like me. I'm one of the rare breed of Singaporeans who can't take spicy food. Then again, I do still take some, followed by plenty of water.

Ingredients:

• 3 Chillies, top and seeds removed
• 1 slice Ginger
• 4 glove Garlic, skin removed
• Juice of 3 limes
• 5 tablespoon of chicken broth

How to do it:

1. Blend all ingredients together, till smooth.
2. That's all!

Note:

• Add more chilli if you prefer it to be more spicy.
• Add less broth if you prefer it to be thicker.

Check out my next post on my Ginger Sauce.
Click HERE for the Roasted version of the Chicken Rice (烧鸡饭).