Hainanese Chicken
hainanese chicken recipe
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Active Time
35 min
Total Time
2 hrs
Ingredient
For chicken and broth
1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) chicken
3 teaspoons salt
4 qt water
4 (1/8-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger, smashed
shallots
green onions
For chile sauce
6 (3- to 3 1/2-inch-long) fresh hot red Thai chiles or serrano chiles, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
mix to combine
For Ginger scallion sauce
two bunches scallions chopped
4″ piece of ginger finely diced
1/2 c grapeseed oil
hefty pinch kosher salt
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1-2 tsp sherry or rice wine vinegar
heat oil to just smoking
pour over chopped scallions, ginger
add salt, soy, vinegar
For rice
2 cups (or more) jasmine rice
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Tbsp ginger minced
1 English or 2 persian cucumber
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 bunch or 1 (4-oz) bag watercress, coarse stems discarded
Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves or sprigs
Prepare chicken and broth:
Remove fat from cavity of chicken and reserve for rice. Rub chicken inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt. stuff with coarsely chopped scallions, pieces of ginger
Bring water with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and ginger, scallions, shallots to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot wide enough to hold chicken. Put chicken, breast down, in water and return to a boil, covered. Simmer chicken, partially covered, 20 minutes and remove from heat. Let chicken stand in hot broth, covered and undisturbed, until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Letting broth drain from chicken cavity into pot, transfer chicken to a large bowl of ice and cold water, season cold water with salt and reserve broth for rice and soup. Cool chicken completely, turning once. Drain chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into serving pieces.
Make rice:
Cook reserved chicken fat in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until rendered, then discard solids. Add vegetable oil if necessary to make 2 tablespoons fat.
Wash rice under cold running water until water runs clear and drain well.
Cook shallots in fat over moderate heat, stirring, until browned. Add garlic, ginger and shallots and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring gently, until toasted.
Add 3 cups reserved broth (or appropriate amount based on rice cooked) cook in rice cooker, when done fluff rice with a fork and cover, add salt if needed.
Assemble dishes:
Shave as many long ribbons as possible from cucumber with a U-shaped vegetable peeler and chill ribbons in another bowl of ice and cold water 15 minutes. Drain well.
Stir together soy sauce and sesame oil.
Bring 6 cups reserved broth and watercress to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan and simmer 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and let stand until watercress is a shade darker, about 3 minutes.
Drizzle soy-sesame mixture over chicken. Serve chicken with cucumber ribbons and individual bowls of rice, soup, and chile sauce.
Or just drizzle with sesame oil