Chicken Rice

Chicken rice is of Hainanese Chinese origins. Aka Hainan chicken, or Hainanese chicken rice. It is based on a well known Hainanese dish called Wenchang chicken due to it being adopted by overseas Chinese. And was first popular in Hainan, China. And with the immigration of Hainanese people to other South East Asian countries, this dish as well of its several varieties or recipes spread to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

This is a very simple dish with bite sized steamed or poached chicken serve with fragrant rice and special dipping sauce. Here's my homemade chicken rice.

Amelia's Chicken Rice ( Serve 4 to 6 )
1 medium size ( 1.5kg ) chicken
2 tsp salt
1 in ginger
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk spring onion

Dressing
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp light soya sauce
Mix the dressing ingredients together

Garnishing
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp chicken broth
Cucumber - slice thinly
Spring onion - chopped

1/  Wash and clean chicken. Trim off any access fat and skin. Keep the chicken fat. Discard the chicken head and feet.
2/  Wash and slice the ginger thinly. Not necessary to peel of the skin.
3/  Ex-foliate the outside and inner part of the chicken with salt. No need to rinse.

4/  Boil a large pot of water enough to submerse the whole chicken. Add the garlic, ginger, spring onion and chicken to the boiling water with breast side facing down.
5/  Cover the pot and boil the chicken for 10 mins using medium heat. Remove from heat and leave the chicken in the hot broth for 40 mins, please do not peep. If smaller chicken boil 10 mins and keep in hot broth for 30 mins. While waiting prepare the dipping sauce.

Serve the chicken rice on a bed of sliced cucumber, sprinkle some spring onion. Drizzle sesame oil and light soya sauce to enhance the flavor.

6/  After 30 to 40 mins, check the chicken by piercing the thighs with chopstick. If blood ooze out, boil the chicken for another 5 mins using medium heat. Remove from heat, leave the chicken in the hot broth for 10 to 15 mins and check again. If no blood ooze out from chicken thighs, the chicken is cooked.

Jacuzzi bathtub for chicken.

7/  Remove the chicken from the pot and shower with iced water. Then dip the chicken in the hot broth again for 1 minute. This is to produce a jelly like skin. Leave the chicken to cool, about 10 minutes. Brush the chicken gently with the dressing mixture.
8/  When cool completely chopped the chicken into bite size. Dress up the chicken with garnishing ingredients.
9/  Sieve the chicken broth * and keep aside for the rice and soup.

You can replace the whole chicken with chicken thighs or drumsticks
10/ If you're using drumsticks, boil the drumsticks for 5 mins and keep in the hot broth for 15 mins. Do not open the pot cover. After 15 mins, pierce the drumsticks with a fork or chopsticks. If no blood ooze out then it's cook. If blood ooze out boil for another 3 mins and keep in the hot broth for 5 to mins.
11/ Keep the chicken broth* to cook the rice and soup.

The key to succulence chicken meat is in the poaching.

This meal can be made a low fat diet dish.You may remove the skin from the cooked chicken before serving.

The cilantro sauce is one of the best for this poach chicken.

Garlic, spring onion, cilantro, red chillies, ginger, chicken fat.

Fragrant Chicken Flavor Rice
2 cups fragrant rice - wash and rinse
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1 small cube chicken stock
3 pandan leaves ( optional )
2 pieces chicken fat
Chicken broth *

1/  Heat up the wok and render the chicken fat until oil released from the fat. You can keep the crispy fat for garnishing.
2/  Stir fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant, add in the rice and pandan leaves. Stir fry for 2 to 3 mins.

3/  Transfer the rice to the rice cooker, add chicken stock and enough chicken broth to boil the rice. Once rice is cooked, fluff  the rice with chopsticks.

Fragrant chicken flavored rice, delicious by itself......

Fish Ball Soup
Chicken broth
20 fish balls ( scalded with hot water )
Chinese lettuce
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of sesame oil

1/  Bring the chicken broth to boil. Add fish balls, salt, pepper to taste and a dash of sesame oil.
2/  Submerge the Chinese lettuce in the boiling broth and off the stove immediately.
3/  Serve with chicken rice.

Cilantro Dipping Sauce
1 bunch of cilantro leaves - chopped 1/2 inch length
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp black soya sauce
1 tsp light soya sauce
Dash of pepper
2 shallots - slice thinly
2 tbsp chicken broth
1/2 tbsp oil

1/  Heat up the wok and add the oil. Fry the slice shallots until golden brown. Add oyster sauce and chicken broth.
2/  Lower the heat. Add light soya sauce, black soya sauce, pepper and cilantro leaves. Give a quick stir and remove from heat.

Ginger Sauce

Wash and peel the ginger skin. Chopped the ginger into small pieces. Blend the ginger with a bit of chicken broth until smooth. Add salt and vinegar to taste. You can add chili sauce if you like.

Serve chicken rice with soup, bean sprout salad and 3 type of special dipping sauce for delicious variety.

Chilli Sauce
4 red chillies
2 cloves garlic
Salt and vinegar to taste

1/  Wash and discard the chillies seeds. Chopped finely.
2/  Blend the chillies and garlic until very fine.
3/  Add salt sugar and vinegar to taste.

Need to practice and improve on my chopping skill. LOL

Bean Sprout Salad
200gm bean sprouts
2 tsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chicken broth
Dash of pepper
Fried shallots
Spring onion
Red Chilli

1/  Remove the bean sprouts tail. Rinse and drain.
2/  Bring 2 bowl of water to boil, off the stove. Blanch the bean sprout for 10 seconds. Drain off the water immediately.
3/  Add 2 tsp light soya sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp chicken broth and dash pepper.
4/  Garnish with fried shallots, shredded chilli and spring onion.
5/  Serve with chicken rice and enjoy.

Dessert of the day 
Red Bean With Black Glutinous Rice

Beans are a healthy source of protein and by combining with brown rice or other complementary grains, you can create a meal with a complete protein, containing all the amino acids necessary for good nutrition.
Beans are naturally low in fat and cholesterol free. Red beans are also good source of iron, fibre and antioxidants.
  
300gm red beans
1/4 bowl black glutinous rice
Sugar to taste
Coconut milk
Pandan leaves

Beans aren't just good for the waistline, they may aid in disease prevention.

1/  Wash and soak the red beans for 4 to 5 hours. Drain off the water.
2/  Wash and soak the black glutinous rice for 2 to 3 hours. Drain off the water.
3/  Fill the heavy bottom pot with approximate 1500mls water, add pandan leaves, red bean and glutinous rice. When it boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until softened. Remember to keep checking the water level, if dry add more water.
4/  When cooked , add sugar to taste. Serve hot or cold.

The long simmer makes this red bean soup soft and creamy. For a rich creamy flavor, add 1 tbsp of coconut milk to each serving.

 Have a fabulous week ahead. Cheers!

Amelia