Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of the traditional foods that are very popular among Southeast Asia. It is a one-pot meal comprising of succulent chicken coupled with aromatic rice done in a pot that makes a delicious and comforting dish. It is usually accompanied by a variety of condiments (ginger or chili sauce) and can be served in any occasion.
When you want a tasty but easy dish to make, the Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe is the one for you. This blog post will look at the history of the dish, the ingredients that make it stand out, and an easy simple step-by-step Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe that you can use to easily get your very own Hainanese Chicken Rice at home.
Table of Contents
A Glimpse into History of Hainanese Chicken Rice
The recipe of Hainanese Chicken Rice was suggested to be the product of the region of Hainan, a southern Chinese Island. Delta imparted the dish in Southeast Asia by the Hainanese who migrated to other countries which are Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The dish has also developed in the long run to become a favorite in Southeast Asian cuisine.
Key Ingredients for Hainanese Chicken Rice
Here are ingredients you will require to make the perfect Hainanese Chicken Rice:
Chicken: The main component of the meal, a chicken should be picked correctly, and there should be a proper quality of the chicken because in such a way, you will manage to make Hainanese Chicken Rice tasting excellent. Free-range poached chicken is the best option available.
Rice: Rice consumed in Hainanese Chicken Rice is cooked in chicken broth giving it a great taste. Jasmine rice is the most preferred kind of rice to be used because of its sweet scent and sticky nature.
Scallions: Scallions are utilized in flavoring the chicken broth as well as the ginger sauce that accompanies the chicken rice.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is applied to season the chicken and the seasoning that accompany the chicken rice. Overall, it enhances the taste and gives authentic flavors.
Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is added to give the chicken broth, and the ginger sauce accompanying the chicken rice the nutty taste.
Ginger and Garlic: Ginger is a significant component in the dish because ginger is used to flavor the chicken broth as well as in the condiments that accompanies the serving of chicken rice. Garlic is also added to give the chicken broth flavor as well as chili sauce that accompanies chicken rice.
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Step-by-Step Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 whole free-range chicken piece
- 2 cups of jasmine rice
- 4 cups chicken broth (poached)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 thumb-sized ginger (chopped)
- 4 scallions (sliced)
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper according to taste
Condiments:
- Ginger Sauce: 3 tablespoon ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tea spoon salt
- Chili Sauce: 10 red chilies, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Poach the Chicken
Wash the chicken and clean it up. Put it in a big pot and add water generous enough to cover it fully. Boil, and simmer gently. Simmer thirty minutes. After this, transfer the chicken to ice bath in order to prevent continued cooking and lose moisture. - Prepare the Rice
Rinse the jasmine rice and soak in water 10 minutes. In another pot, fry the sesame oil, sear garlic and ginger and add the drained rice. Mix 1-2 minutes. Include 4 cups of the chicken broth and put on low heat until rice is cooked and fluffy (approximately 15 to 20 minutes). - Make the Ginger Sauce
Blend 3 tablespoon finely chopped ginger, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tea spoon salt and blend into a smooth mixture. - Make the Chili Sauce
Puree 10 red chilies and 3 cloves of garlic and add 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. To add an extra zest, add a small cup of chicken broth. - Slice and Serve the Chicken
When it is cool, cut the chicken into bite-size. Sprinkle soy sauce with sesame oil. Put on a platter with rice and sauces and garnish with cucumber or spring onions.
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Tips for the Best Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Fresh ingredients: Particularly chicken and ginger: they are the essence of the dish.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: A touch of tenderness is retained through gentle poaching..
- Let the rice toast: Pre toasting it with garlic and ginger aromatic powers.
- Balance your sauces: Add spices and salt according to taste.
- Serve hot: The dish should be served warm along with fresh sauces.
In conclusion, Hainanese Chicken Rice is a traditional one-pot meal, which is uncomplicated and suitable at any time. It will no doubt be a crowd pleaser using its succulent chicken and scented rice. Try it and leave your family and friends impressed by this authentic and good Southeast Asian cooking!