Hainanese Chicken Rice Recipe from Chef Alex Chong

I got to attend the Asian Culinary Journey by Chef Alex Chong held recently at The Maya Kitchen. Chef Chong, who is the Executive Chef at The  Heritage Hotel Manila, demonstrated some well loved dishes from the South East Asian region. Among these is one of my favorites: Hainanese Chicken Rice. Here is the recipe that he kindly shared with us, which we’re sharing with so you can try out at home.

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE 2

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

Chicken

1 fresh chicken
6 slices fresh ginger

Chicken Stock

1kg chicken bones from 1 whole chicken
3 pieces ginger

Chicken Rice

2 ½ cups long grain rice
120g chicken fat
50g butter
50g ginger paste
50 g garlic paste
1-2 tsp salt to taste
3 ½ cups chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
2 pandan leaves

Chilli Sauce

200g fresh red chillies, seeds removed
80g garlic
100 ginger
3 tsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
200g Pineapple
½ cup Calamansi juice to taste
1 ½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Ginger Sauce for Dipping

75g ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
1tsp oyster sauce

Chicken Soya Sauce

3 ½tsp soya sauce
2 tsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
1 ½ tsp sesame oil

Chicken Soup

Chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
Seasoning with chicken stock (powder)
50g shredded cabbage
20g spring onion, chopped

Method:

1) Fill a pot large enough to fit the whole chicken with water and bring to boil with ginger. When the water boils, turn heat off and place the chicken into hot water and cover for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and place the chicken into ice water. Set aside chicken stock. Remove the chicken from the cold water, drain and de-bone the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces on serving plate.

2) For chicken rice, wash the rice and drain well. In a pot, fry chicken fat until oil is released. Add the butter then fry well with the ginger and garlic paste. Place the rice into a pot and add in chicken stock & pandan leaves then season with salt. Transfer rice into an electric rice cooker or pot. Cook the rice about 25 minutes or until done.

3) For chilli sauce, place the chilies, garlic and ginger, pineapple into blender and blend until it becomes a paste. Add chicken stock, calamansi juice, sugar and salt to taste. Note: The chili sauce in a covered container will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

4) For ginger sauce, place the ginger in the blender and blend until it becomes a paste. Add sesame oil, oyster sauce and salt to taste.

5) For Chicken Soya Sauce, mix together the soya sauce, chicken stock and sesame oil.

6) For Chicken Soup, you will need to boil the remaining chicken stock with the chicken bones for an hour; season with chicken powder. Add the shredded cabbage in the stock for a short while and lastly, add the spring onion before serving.

This recipe serves 4-6 persons. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
For more recipes and information on courses, log on to www.themayakitchen.com .

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