Malaysian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Serves 4

Hainanese chicken is a traditional Malaysian and Singaporean dish. The chicken is boiled and the rice is then cooked in the chicken broth. This simple dish tastes delicious, the flavors are simple and clean, but the chicken is very tender and chicken broth adds a delicate flavor and smooth texture to the rice.

This is a wonderful lunch or light dinner and perfect if you have had a week of indulgence and crave something comforting and soothing that will make you feel good inside. Hainanese chicken and rice is very low in fat, everything is boiled so there is no extra oil, and if you are trying to look after your waist line or heart this is a wonderful satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 1 900g chicken
• 1 spring onion
• Fresh peeled sliced ginger
• 420g jasmine rice
• 1tsp salt
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2800ml water

For chilli sauce

• 2 tbsp line juice
• 5 tbsp fresh red chillies chopped
• 5 garlic cloves chopped
• 3tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1tsp salt
• 120ml chicken stock

Method

1. Boil the water in a large pan. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with ginger and spring onions, save some spring onions for garnishing. Place the chicken in the boiling water, breast side-down and simmer, cover for about 30 to 40 minutes until cooked.
2. Remove the chicken keeping the water for stock.
3. Plunge chicken in an ice water bath till chicken is cold.
4. Heat oil in a wok and stir fry the garlic and chopped shallot and the rice and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add rice to the sauce pan with the stock and simmer until cooked.
5. Cut up the chicken and serve with rice and some spring onions.