Singapore
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Singapore's quiet national dish – simplicity as art
Immigrants from Hainan island brought this dish to Southeast Asia, where it became a national dish in Singapore and Malaysia. It looks plain – poached chicken and rice – and is masterful precisely in that.
The secret: the rice is cooked in chicken broth with ginger and garlic, the chicken gently poached and shocked in ice water for silky skin. Served with three sauces: ginger, chilli and dark soy.
Ingredients
- Whole chicken1 (approx. 1.5 kg)
- Jasmine rice300 g
- Ginger & garlicplenty
- Spring onions1 bunch
- Sesame oil1 tbsp
- Dark soy sauceto serve
- Chilli-garlic sauceto serve
★ = available authentic in the Asia Boutique
Preparation
Poach the chicken with ginger and spring onion just below a simmer for 35–40 min.
Remove the chicken, shock in ice water (gives silky skin), keep the broth.
Briefly fry the rice with garlic and ginger, then cook in chicken broth.
Make the sauces: grated ginger with oil, chilli-garlic, dark soy.
Carve the chicken, serve with rice, broth and the three sauces.
Make it original
Dark soy sauce and toasted sesame oil round off the dish. Available in the Asia Boutique.