Hainanese chicken rice

Ingredients

For 6 servings.

1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. Use metric quantities where stated. Times and servings are indicative.

• 1 chicken, about 1.5 kg
• 1 tbsp salt for the chicken
• 3–3.4 litres water, adjusted to the pot
• 5 ginger slices and 2 spring onions
• Ice and cold water for chilling the chicken
• 55 g fat from the chicken and 1 tsp oil
• 4 minced garlic cloves for the rice
• 3 cups raw jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
• 960 ml chicken cooking broth and up to 2 tsp salt for the rice
• Ginger sauce: 10 cm ginger, 2 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp oil and 1 pinch salt
• Sweet sauce: 60 ml water, 35 g sugar and 60 ml dark soy sauce
• Chilli sauce: 3 medium red chillies, 4 cm ginger and 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar for the chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar and 2 tbsp broth

Step-by-step method

1. Remove and reserve cavity fat, pat chicken dry and rub with salt. Boil water with ginger and spring onions in a pot that fits the bird.
2. Lower chicken in, return to a boil and briefly lift it to drain the cavity. Return to the pot and cook covered at a very gentle simmer for 30–35 minutes, extending until the thickest part reaches at least 74°C, measuring without touching bone.
3. Transfer to an ice-water bath for 15 minutes and drain; reserve the broth.
4. Render chicken fat with the oil for 1–2 minutes; add the rice garlic, then rice, stirring for 2 minutes. Transfer to a pot with 960 ml broth and salt to taste.
5. Let rice soak in this liquid for 20 minutes. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce to the lowest heat; cook for about 15 minutes until rice is tender and absorbs the broth.
6. For ginger sauce, finely mince ginger and garlic and gently fry in oil until their raw taste softens; season. For sweet sauce, dissolve sugar in water over heat and add soy.
7. Blend the chilli sauce ingredients and gradually add broth to reach the desired consistency.
8. Cut chicken into pieces and serve with rice, all three sauces and hot broth on the side.