If you like juicy tender chicken, flavourful ginger rice paired with delicious homemade sauces and other refreshing condiments then you will be a fan of this version of Hainanese Chicken Rice. Make this family style dish with our step by step recipe.
Wash the chicken with cold water and pat dry. Season the chicken with lots of salt inside and outside.
Place the Chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil on high heat, that should take about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat and remove all the scum coming to the surface. Once the water is clear, add the carrot, onion, leek, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.
Turn on high heat and bring back to a boil. Once the broth has boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it further simmer for another 30 minutes more (less if you are using a smaller chicken). Check for doneness by sticking a skewer into the flesh under the leg, the juices should run clear. Once the chicken has cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes before taking the chicken out.
Remove the chicken from the pot and strain the chicken broth. The broth can be served with the final dish or used for other preparations.
To plate up the chicken remove the legs and breast from the chicken and cut into large pieces. I prefer to remove all the bones before serving the chicken but you could cut through with a sharp clever if you prefer to leave them on.
For the Ginger Rice
Wash the rice and soak in cold water beforehand. Strain the rice.
In a pot heat up the oil over medium high heat and add the sliced ginger. Fry lightly and add the drained rice. Cook for another minute and add the chicken broth. Bring the rice to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
Cook the rice for 15 minutes covered and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
For the Ginger and Garlic Sauce
Cut the spring onion in fine round slices. Grate the ginger and garlic.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and add the grated ginger and garlic. Cook for about a minute and our the oil over the spring onions, mix well. Add the sesame oil and leave covered for at least 5 minutes. Mix again and serve on the side.
For the Chilli Sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a kitchen blender until well combined. Place the mixture in a small pot and reduce on low heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens up. Set aside to cool and serve on the side.
For the Vegetables
Cut all the vegetables in julienne (fine stripes). Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over high heat and add the vegetables.
Cook the vegetables by constantly mixing. Keep the vegetables crunchy, they should not take longer than 5 minutes. Serve separately in a bowl.