Recipe Exchange
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Ingredients:
- 2 kg (one whole) chicken
- 150 gm chicken fat
- 200 gm pandan leaves
- 200 gm sliced ginger
- 200 gm sliced galingal
- 10 gm coriander roots
- 1 tsp (10gm) salt
- 4 litres water
- 50 gm soya-bean sauce
- ginger puree
- 300 gm red-chilli puree
- dark soya sauce
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Sliced cucumbers
- Iceberg lettuce
- Pour the water into a large, heavy-based pot and add half the pandan leaves, coriander roots, ginger, galingal, and the teaspoon of salt.
- Bring the water to the boil, add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes, skimming off and reserving any chicken fat, which floats to the surface.
- Turn down the flame, cover the pot and simmer the chicken for another 30 minutes or so.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot (retain the stock) and immerse it in ice-cold water for 15 to 20 minutes then set it aside to drain until needed.
- Next cook the rice with the chicken fat, sufficient chicken stock and the other half of the pandan leaves, coriander roots, ginger and galingal. Set aside.
- Remove the skin from the chicken, slice it, arrange it on a platter and garnish with coriander leaves, sliced cucumbers and iceberg lettuce leaves.
- Serve with bowls of the chicken-flavored rice and any or all of the four condiments listed above.
Recipe courtesy of Makkasan Restaurant at the Bangkok Palace Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.