Singapore Chicken Rice (or Hainnanese Chicken Rice)

Chicken
1 whole chicken
Half a pot water
1 thumb ginger, crushed
2 whole garlic (with skin attached)
Sea salt
1 chicken boullion

(Sauce to pour over chicken later)
100ml chicken stock (from above)
2 tbps oyster sauce
2 tbps light soya sauce
3 tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp sugar
3 tsp shallot oil (optional)


Rice
500gm Jasmine rice (depending on how many people are eating)
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp chopped shallots
1 tbsp minced garlic
700ml chicken stock (from above)
2 tbsp minced ginger
1 whole garlic (with skin attached)
2-3 pandan leaves, knotted


Method
Bring half a pot of water to boiling point. Lower fire to medium, put in the whole chicken, crushed ginger, whole garlic and sea salt and chicken boullion and bring to a boil. Around 25 minutes under medium low heat. To check if the chicken is cooked, poke a chopstick on the thigh of the chicken, if blood oozes out then you have to cook it further. Do not overcook the chicken, and do not be impatient and cook under high heat, otherwise the skin will start to flake off. Poke the other thigh after further cooking, no fresh blood should be running out after 30 minutes of boiling.

Bring out the chicken to rest. Do not leave the chicken in the stock, otherwise it will still be cooking in the stock eventhough you have switched off the fire.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Wash the rice and drain the water thoroughly. Warm up a skillet, add cooking oil and fry the mince garlic and mince shallot till fragrant. Add the washed rice to the pan and fry for around 1-2 minutes. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker. Add the chicken stock (instead of water). 700ml is just an estimation. The best way to cook rice is to put your pointer finger (the 2nd one!) just on the top of the rice and the water/stock level should reach the first line (lowest line ) on your finger. Stir in the minced ginger in the rice-stock, add 1 whole garlic, knotted pandan, close the rice cooker and let it cook.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce for the chicken. In a separate bowl, add 100ml or 1 big scoop of chicken stock, the oyster sauce, sesame oil, soya sauce, sugar and shallot oil together. Chop the chicken into pieces and arrane it on a serving dish, pour the sauce mixture on the chicken. Garnish with slice cucumber and coriander leaves.

When the rice is cooked, you can dish out and serve it with in a Chinese rice bowl or compact the rice in the Chinese rice bowl, then overturn it onto a plate.


This dish is best eaten with Chicken Rice Chilli Sauce and kecap manis.

Blend 1 handful chilli padi, 5-6 garlic, 1 knob ginger (peel off skin), chicken stock from above( maybe 2 tbsp), 1 tsp salt, 1tbsp sugar, lime juice. Add some kecap manis. Blend with a handblender still smooth. Adjust the taste. If too spicy, add a bit more sugar etc.


Bon Apetit!