Hainanese Chicken Rice

1 whole corn fed chicken, about 1.5kg
1 litre good quality chicken stock
Cold water, to top up
1 thumb-size piece of ginger, lightly bashed
2 to 3 spring onions, cut into large chunks
2 cloves garlic, lightly bashed
Sea salt
2 cups jasmine rice
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
Cucumber, sliced, to serve

The Chilli Sauce
4 to 6 red chillies
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece of ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon palm sugar or caster sugar
Small splash sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons warm vegetable stock

The Ginger & Spring Onion Oil
1 thumb-size piece of ginger, finely chopped
3 to 4 spring onions, finely chopped
Good pinch salt
Vegetable oil, smoking hot

PREPARATION

To prepare the poaching base

1. Heat a generous drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the bashed ginger and spring onion and fry gently until golden and fragrant.
3. Add the garlic and cook briefly.
4. Pour in the chicken stock and top up with cold water. Bring to a boil.
5. Lower the whole chicken carefully into the liquid. Ensure it is fully submerged, topping up with water if needed.
6. Season with a good pinch of sea salt.
7. Bring back to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes only.
8. After 20 minutes, switch off the heat completely, cover with a lid and leave the chicken to sit in the hot stock for 40 minutes. This gently cooks the breast without drying it out.

COOKING

To prepare the rice

1. Render any excess chicken fat trimmed from the cavity in a saucepan over low heat until lightly golden.
2. Add the jasmine rice and toss in the chicken fat so each grain is lightly coated.
3. Add 2 1/2 cups of the hot chicken stock and the crushed garlic cloves.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a light simmer and cover.
5. When the liquid level reaches the level of the rice, switch off the heat completely and leave covered to steam until fluffy.

To make the chilli sauce

1. Warm the vegetable stock with rice vinegar, palm sugar and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves.
2. In a blender, combine red chillies, garlic and ginger.
3. Pour in some of the warm sweet and sour stock and blend to a smooth, vibrant red paste. Adjust consistency with a little more stock if needed.

To make the ginger & spring onion oil

1. Mix the finely chopped ginger and spring onion with a good pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat vegetable oil until smoking hot.
3. Carefully pour the hot oil directly over the mixture. It should sizzle immediately. Stir well and allow to cool slightly.

To finish the chicken

1. After resting in the hot stock for 40 minutes, remove the chicken and plunge briefly into cold water for 1 to 2 minutes. This tightens the skin and stops further cooking.
2. Drain and carve gently, slicing rather than chopping to keep the skin intact. Remove bones from thighs if desired.

To serve

1. Fluff the rice and spoon into serving bowls.
2. Arrange sliced chicken over the top with a combination of breast and thigh.
3. Add a neat row of sliced cucumber.
4. Serve with chilli sauce and ginger and spring onion oil on the side or spooned over the chicken.

School of Wok Tips

• Never boil the chicken for longer than 20 minutes. Residual heat finishes the cooking.
• Dunking in cold water tightens the skin and improves texture.
• Always coat rice grains in chicken fat before adding stock.
• Balance sweet and sour carefully in the chilli sauce.

FAQs

Why switch off the heat and leave the chicken in the stock?
This gentle cooking method prevents the breast from overcooking while ensuring the legs cook through.

Can I use chicken breast only?
Whole chicken gives better flavour to both meat and stock, but breast can be poached separately if preferred.

What rice ratio should I use?
For 2 cups of rice, use about 2 1/2 cups of stock for fluffy, separate grains.