Took leave on Friday...to spend the day with Cheok, and to make one of his favourite dishes, Hainanese Chicken Rice.  Well it is also a dish that i enjoy eating too.

This I would say is the most challenging dish i have prepared so far.  I was not confident at all, which is why i took a whole day off to get it ready slowly.  I didn't want to rush through it.  

End result.... Cheok gave me a score of seven out of ten.  The chicken was tender and tasty...but the rice def didnt taste like the sort outside....the chilli was FABULOUS!  I am extremely proud of it.  

When i was preparing the rice, i tried to follow the various recipes as closely as possible.  But I just couldn't bear to put too much chicken fat into it and all the oil.  It was just too unhealthy.  I thought, well it should be close enough...taste wise that is.  

Tasting the rice when it was ready...i must say it def didn't taste as good as the ones outside.  Man...i am so going to think twice before ordering chicken rice next time.  It is honestly EXTREMELY unhealthy.  I knew it was unhealthy before, but i just didn't realise it was that bad.

Overall, i am happy with my chicken rice.  

2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon light soya sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine
2 pieces of ginger, each 1-inch thick, lightly bruised with the back of a knife
3 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
1 teaspoon sesame oil
5 red dates
1/4 cup wolfberry

Method:

1.  Remove the fat from the cavity of the chicken, and leave it aside.  It will be used later to flavour the rice.
2.  Rub the salt into the cavity of the chicken and the skin of the chicken.
3.  Rub the cavity of the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon of soya sauce and the rice wine.  
4.  Stuff the ginger, garlic and spring onion into the cavity of the chicken
5.  Allow the chicken to sit with the marinade for about 2 hours.
6.  Fill a stock pot with enough water to cover the chicken, bring to boil.
7.  Lower the chicken into the rolling water, ensure that it is completely immersed, turn off heat and allow the chicken to stand for an hour.
8.  Every 10 minutes, lift the chicken and drain the water from the cavity of the chicken.  This is to ensure that hot water is constantly inside the cavity.  (to ensure the chicken is cooked through)
9.  After half an hour, remove the chicken, and bring the water to boil again.
10. Allow the chicken to sit for another half an hour...lifting the chicken every ten minutes.
11.  After the half an hour is up, immerse the chicken in ice cold water.  (this is to ensure the skin is tight, and to stop the chicken from continuing to cook)
12.  Once the chicken is completely cold, rub it down with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of soya sauce and seasame oil.
13.  Cut off the neck, feed, and wing tip.  
14.  Toss in the red dates and the wolfberry along with the neck, feet and wing tip into the stock pot.  Allow the stock to reduce by half.
15.  Taste the soup, if it needs a little salt, add.  ( i found it just right)



Chicken Rice

Ingredients:
3 cups jasmine rice, uncooked
Chicken Fat from the chicken
2 pandan leaves
1 tablespoon finely minced young ginger
3 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon seasame oil
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
1.  Rinse the rice under running water till the water runs clear.
2.  Allow the rice to dry.
3.  Place the chicken fat into a frying pan, and fry on low heat till all the oil is rendered.
4.  If you do not have 4 tablespoon of oil, add canola oil to make up the difference.
5.  Add the ginger and pan fry till fragrant.
6.  Add the garlic and continue frying till it is fragrant.
7.  Add the rice, and stir till all the grains are coated
8.  Pour the rice into a rice cooker, fill with 3 cups of the COOLED chicken stock.
9.  Add the seasame oil, salt and pandan leaf.
10.  Allow the rice to cook. 




Chicken Rice Chilli

Ingredients (chilli):

10 red chilli, seeded
25 red chilli padi, seeded
30 garlic cloves, peeled
3 inches young ginger
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock (from the soup)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon lime juice

Method:
1.  Add the chillis, ginger and garlic into the food processor. 
2.  Process this till it is a paste.
3.  While it is processing, add the canola oil, vinegar, sugar and salt.
4.  Once everything is processed evenly, pour the liquid into a saucepan.
5.  Add the chicken stock.
6.  Allow the chilli to simmer for 15 minutes.
7.  Allow to cool, add the lime juice and bottle.
Note:  The chilli must be used within the month.

More Pictures:


Rice Coated/Fried


Chicken almost done


Chicken Cooked


Immersed in ice water


Chicken Chopped and De-boned