Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken Rice is found in almost every food centre, hotel, school canteen and wet market in Singapore. It is one of the "National Dish" known for its fragrant rice, succulent chicken and signature ginger chilli. Although different stalls claim that they use "secret" ingredients that make them stand out from the rest of the competitors, I think they are all delisciously done. Then again, I'm not a fussy eater.

However, as the chicken rice prepared outisde contain a lot of fats and calories, naturally I would want to prepare this at home, this way I can choose to prepare the dish in a more 'artery'-friendly method. Today I prepared this dish using chicken thighs, but usually I like to discard the skin to cut down on the fats.

Our family likes to eat it with freshly cut shallots in oil (method to prepare included) as it lends extra "omph" to the taste.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients for the chicken:

Chicken Thighs (I used 9 pieces)

Garlic, 2 bulbs

Old Ginger, a few chunks

Chicken stock (Ayam brand), one cube

Water, enough to submerge the chicken pieces

Ingredients for the Rice:

Thai Jasmine White Rice, 2 cups

Chicken soup, enough to cover about one inch above the rice ( I never measure my rice water)

Garlic, 3 to 5 gloves

Star anise, 2 pieces (optional)

Pandan leaves, a few pieces (optional)

Condinments:

(I)

Shallots (500g)

Canola oil

Salt to taste

(II)

Old Ginger, one piece (about 300g)

Sesame oil

(III)

Chinese Parsley, 50g

Sesame oil

Method for cooking the chicken:

In a stainless steel pot, add in the garlic bulbs and old ginger chunks.

Add the water in and bring to a boil.
When the water boils, add the chicken pieces, bring to the boil (small to medium fire).
You may season the soup with chicken stock or table salt.
Leave the chicken in the pot of water for another 10 minutes or so.
Mean while, prepare a big pot of ice water, plunge the chicken pieces into the ice water before removing, then arrange on the plate.
Decorate with cucumber (I used zucchini) slices.


Method for cooking chicken rice:
In the rice cooker, wash the Jasmone rice in cold tap water until the water remains clear (usually after a few rounds of rinsing).
Add enough chicken soup* to cover the rice and water level is about an inch above the rice. 
Add the garlic cloves and star anise.
For extra fragrance, you may add a small bundle of pandan leaves (tie into a knot).
When the rice is done, off the switch and leave the rice in the cooker for about 10 minutes before serving.

* I scooped and discarded the top layer of oil before using the soup to cook the rice.

Condinments:
Mince the shallots and season with salt. Then in a small saucepan, heat up about 2 table spoon of canola oil. Do not allow the oil to start boiling.
Add the heated oil to the minced shallot and mix well.

Grate the ginger, add sesame oil and some salt or soy sauce.

Finely chop the Chinese Parseley and add some sesame oil.

Arrange the condinments in suitable saucers.

Now you are ready to tuck in!