Hainanese Chicken Rice

Almost every country in Asia with a history of Chinese immigrants have their own version of chicken rice. Chicken rice originated from Hainan provence in China during the Chin Dynasty. Hainan chicken was one of the four main Hainan dishes along with Jiaji duck, Dongsan goat and Hele crab. The dish remain the most popular Hainan dish till the day, specially in Southeast Asia. When the Chinese started migrating to different counties in South East Asia around the 19th centuries, they've brought their own culture and cuisine into the community and over time with the influence of the local ingredient and culture, often the cuisine becomes it's own unique flavor.

Fusion food these days seems to have a bad rep as the word 'authentic" has been tossed around the food industries a lot. But I've often find that some of the most delicious meals are actually fusion food  influenced by more than one culture. Because not only the flavor become much more rich and complex, but most importantly we are eating a piece of history. A history which was molded and changed overtimes with the influence of different culture.

If you've ever looked recipes for Hainaese chicken rice, you may find it confusing because the sauce varies from recipe to recipe. The is because the dish is really popular in Southeast Asia and each country has their own sauces and condiments to go with it. In fact, the famous Hainanese chicken rice we all know today is actually the Singapore version of chicken rice and not the original Hainanese chicken rice. The Singapore style Hainanese chicken we love in Taiwan which is the recipe I'm sharing this week is served with two sauces - the ginger and scallion oil and the sweet and spicy soy sauce. And because this is how we serve it in Taiwan, this may actually add on an extra layer of fusion tailored to the Taiwanese taste. Non the less, it's it unique and delicious.

In the past, I've shared recipes for Taiwanese chicken (turkey) rice, Vietnamese chicken rice and Thai chicken rice. Which actually was all just dependence of Hainan chicken rice. This week I'd like to share the most famous chicken rice of all chicken rice - The Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Ingredients:
Serves 4 people

4 chicken thighs with bone and skin on
1 1/2 C jasmine rice
3 1/2 C water
3 scallion
5 slice ginger
4 gloves garlic
1/2 shallot
1 t salt
1/4 t sugar
2t soy sauce
1/4 t chicken stock paste or 1/4 bullion cubes

For the ginger and scallion oil:
3T canola oil
3T chicken stock (from cooking the chicken thighs)
1T minced ginger
3 scallions
1/2 shallot
1/4 t sesame oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t white pepper

For the sweet and spicy soy sauce:
1 small hot pepper
1/2t minced garlic
1/2t minced ginger
2T soy sauce
1 1/2 T sugar
3 T chicken stock (from cooking the chicken thighs)

Directions:
Start by cleaning and washing the chicken thighs. In a large pot, poach the chicken thighs for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until the chicken is no linger warm. This will give the chicken it's signature and unique springy texture.

Place the chicken back into the pot along with 3 1/2 C water, 2 scallion, 4 slice ginger, 2 gloves garlic, 1 t salt, 1/4 t sugar, 2t soy sauce and 1/4 t chicken stock paste or 1/4 bullion cubes. Let it come to a boil and turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile you may prepare the rice. Wash and rinse the rice two to three times until it's no longer starchy, then soak it in cold water.  Mince 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 shallots, set aside while we wait for the chicken to be cooked. Once the chicken is done, drain the chicken while saving all the stock form cooking the chicken. Brush the chicken with some sesame oil so the skin doesn't dry out. Traditionally at this point we will soak the chicken in ice water, and that will intensify the firm and springy texture on the skin, I'm not a big fan of the jelly like texture on my chicken so I usually skip this step, but if you would like to honor the tradition, soak the chicken in ice water until ready to serve, and yes the chicken is served cold.

In a large skillet heat up 1T canola oil and cook the minced garlic and shallot for one minute until you smell the aromatics. Drain the rice well and toss the rice in the skillet and stir fry it with the garlic and shallot for two minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the rice in to the pot which we've cooked the chicken in along with 3 C of the reserved chicken stock, 1 slice of ginger and 1 scallion. Let it come to a boil and turn the heat down to low, let it gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

While we are waiting for the rice to be cooked, we can prepare the two sauces. To make the ginger and scallion oil. Heat up 3 T canola oil along with 1T minced ginger and 1/2 shallotin a small sauce pan. Once it come to a boil, remove from heat and stir in finely chopped 3 scallions 1/4 t sesame oil, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t white pepper and 3T chicken stock reserved from cooking the chicken. Set it aside and let it cool.

For the sweat and spice soy sauce, slice up one small hot pepper, you may cut that in half if you don't like the heat. Mince 1/2 t worth of both garlic and ginger. Mix the hot pepper, garlic and ginger with 2T soy sauce, 1 1/2 T sugar and 3 T chicken stock reserved from cooking the chicken.

Once the rice is cooked, Remove from heat, fluff it with a fork and cover it up, let it sit for five minutes before serving.

To serve, chop chicken into larch strips with bones on. Place it onto of the rice, drizzle a little ginger and scallion oil on top and serve it with the two sauces on the side. You may with dip the chicken in the sauce or just pour both sauce right on top of the chicken and rice.