Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice

Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ever wonder what it's like to be living in Singapore during one's childhood?? Being married and bounced from one place to another makes me miss my entire childhood. At that time there wasn't anything I wanted more in my life, just to get back to my childhood life once again. One of the best things about being in Singapore is undoubtedly the food. 

It is no secret that Singaporeans eat and drink with a passion and I really miss is FOOD as I grow up eating the local dishes and I've come to the conclusion that there are problems no other dish that can fill the spot of the "Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice". The local dishes available in there just blow my mind- cause it's not just made up of single cuisine but with 4 major ones (Chinese, Indian, Malay, and Eurasian) and also includes many other sub-cultures like the Peranakan, Cantonese, and multinational cuisines.

Singapore has a history of migration. As each ethnic group and subgroup came to Singapore, it brought its own cuisine along. Each type of food remains largely undiluted to this day, but as often happens when cultures are transplanted far from home, local variations and customs have crept in. Just as the people of Singapore developed their own characteristics the longer they were separated from their homelands. Food is one of Singapore's greatest drawcards, the nation's melting pot of cultures creating one of the world's most diverse, drool-inducing culinary landscapes. For Singaporeans, what's on the plate is far more important than the quality of the china (or plastic) it's served on.

I have been missing the dining out at the hawker center where a huge variety of affordably priced food is conveniently located at the heart of the housing estates. As I have already mentioned above that no dish can fill up the spot on the plate of Chicken Rice. When you see succulent cooked chicken hanging neatly in a row at a food stall, you are looking at one of the nation's favorite dishes—Hainanese Chicken Rice-an ubiquitous sight in hawker centers across the country. Considered one of Singapore’s national dishes, Hainanese Chicken Rice is made of tender poached chicken sliced into bite-sized pieces, served with fragrant and flavorful rice, and accompanied by dark soya sauce, garlic-chili, and ginger dips.

The rice itself is decadent on its own and complements the soft chicken. Cooking the rice in chicken stock and fat gives it a rich umami flavor, while ginger tends to infuse with an inviting aroma. The classic way to eat chicken rice. The chicken is steeped in boiling water or blanched till it is fully cooked, before being soaked in cold water to ensure that the meat remains tender. 

A plate of authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice right at your home without any fuss or mess. Let's sit back and enjoy this plate of delicacy from my kitchen to yours. Stay tuned for another recipe soon!!!

Ingredients:

FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 1 whole chicken 
• 4 tbsp of pink salt or normal salt
• 4-inch section of fresh ginger peeled and crushed
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 stalks green onion crushed
• 1 tbsp Chinese sesame oil

Preparation Methods:

Boil a large pot of water. In the meantime, clean the chicken by rubbing the salt in and out. Rinse chicken well, inside and outside. Lightly rub salt on the outer part of the chicken. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Pour soy sauce into the chicken and spread it evenly. Then, stuff chicken with ginger and green onions.

Pre-build the chicken: When water starts to boil, add the chicken and wait for the scum appear to on the surface. Boil for 5 minutes. Discard all the water, including the scum. Refill the water and allow the chicken to cook well. Once the soup boils, turn the chicken over. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and dip it into a bowl of iced water for 10 seconds. Leave aside. Mix sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon of salt to glaze the skin of the chicken. Chop up the chicken into biteable side and keep aside.

FOR THE RICE:

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• 4 cups of homemade chicken stock(see the recipe at under chicken)
• few crushed gingers
• crushed garlic pods
• 2tbsp sesame oil

Preparation Method:

Wash the rice and drain well. In a rice cooker or pot, heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ginger, shallots, and garlic. Add in your drained rice and stir to coat, cook for an additional minute. Add the sesame oil, mix well. Add 6 cups of the chicken stock and cook as normal.

FOR CHILI SAUCE:

• 6 fresh red chilies
• 3-inch piece ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• The juice of 1 small lime
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• chicken broth from boiling the chicken

Preparation Methods:

Grind the chilies, ginger, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the sesame oil, salt, sugar, lime juice, and vinegar to the food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and add chicken broth.

Preparing the Garnishes:

Slice cucumbers

chopped fresh cilantro

Assemble The Dish:

Place a portion of the cooked rice on the plate. Top it with chopped chicken. Arrange the cucumber slices around the chicken. Garnished with chopped cilantro. Serve with the chilli sauce and enjoy the Chicken Rice.