Wednesday 8 April 2015

Lazy Hainanese Chicken Rice


I simply had to satisfy my craving for rice. And I want Chicken Rice! Honestly I cannot remember the last time I had chicken rice and I wanted some right now!


The recipe I am using is a super easy one which I bookmarked since 2012. Yeah, it took me almost 3 years before I got into action. What attracted me to this recipe was the blog post title - Hainanese Chicken Rice, in 5 Terrifyingly Easy Steps. No Fuss. No Kidding. I mean, how could you ignore something like that? It's a pity that Luan Ee bade farewell to Extra Virgin Chef as she has moved on to greater things. But we can still hop ever to her blog to enjoy her recipes and stories.



The simplicity lies in cooking the rice and chicken at the same time in a rice cooker. What you need to do is saute some shallots, garlic and ginger until fragrant and add the rice to that. Then transfer the rice into the rice pot, add water and top with the chicken.



After that, just cook the rice as you normally would. When the rice is cooked, don't dig in straight away. Leave the rice pot alone for about 10 minutes. Then remove the chicken legs and fluff up the rice.



OK, I have to confess that I did not saute the garlic and ginger adequately. I was not focused and was brain dead because I had a busy week. This month and the next few months is my peak period. There's a lot of stress and pressure in meeting deadlines. Due to the inadequate sauteing, the rice was not as fragrant as it should be. And one more thing. I am hopeless at chopping chicken. My chicken leg was in tatters.



As far as taste is concerned, I am sorry I am not able to vouch for authenticity. Luan Ee had this to say about her method "It's called Extra Virgin Super Short-Cut, with very little compromise on authenticity and taste". One fine day, I must go and eat a good proper Hainanese  chicken rice before I can make a fair comparison. Any recommendations? Whatever it is, I enjoyed the chicken rice very much. "Kei Pui" rocks!










Hainanese Chicken Rice

Recipe source : Extra Virgin Chef
Serves 3 (Mine serves 2)
(My notes and adaptations in red)

Ingredients :
- 3 Free-range Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks (I used 2)
- 2 Cups Jasmine Rice with 2 Cups Water (I used 1.5 cups Basmati rice with 3 cups water)
- 1/2 tsp Salt to rub on meat
- 1-2 tsp each of Minced Shallot, Garlic and Ginger (I used 2 tsp)
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- A Pinch of Turmeric Powder for colour (optional) (I omitted)

Method in more detail :
1. Prick chicken with a fork and rub salt all over. Set aside for half an hour.
2. Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. (I did not soak)
3. Heat up empty cooker, pour oil in and saute minced shallot, garlic and ginger till fragrant. (I did this in a wok)
4. Add rice and water. If you're using turmeric powder, mix it into the water. (I added the rice to mix with the oil and then transferred into rice pot)
5. Place chicken on top of uncooked rice in a single layer. Cover lid.
6. Don't open the lid so heat and moisture will not escape. Wait another 10 minutes after rice is cooked.
7. Remove chicken and fluff up rice gently so as not to break each grain.





Photobucket

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe.

44 comments:

  1. I scroll straight to the ingredients, and you call this lazy? If lazy, means buy a bottle of chicken rice "sauce" or something, and pour half the content into rice cooker and cook with rice la, that one BARU lazy !! I like this dish, one-pot-cook (yat wok sook) rice.. Nice.. I can finish all the rice with chili sauce, no need chicken also can.. Yummzzz, the rice looks very flavourful, I "tarn sau sui" looking at only the rice, belum lagi makan the ayam.... NICE !!

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    1. Louiz, I have seen the chicken rice sauce but I always feel like that is cheating hah..hah... If have to do some chopping and frying baru feel that I am cooking properly. This method to me is easy enough and considered lazy because the traditional method is quite tedious. Still, it was sedaplicious!

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  2. Tried once, I think I followed some recipe in some recipe book. FAILED big time. I don't think I would want to try again - easier to just go and eat at the shop.

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    1. Really? Well, I suppose it is always a lot easier if someone else did the cooking hee..hee..

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  3. This seems super easy, I tried similar stuff before but with darker sauce for chicken, turned out ok.

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    1. KY, I think the Malay style chicken rice uses kicap and it is also very good. Maybe one day I should try that version.

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  4. I am very sure your rice tasted better and more fragrant than the shops because they don't cook the rice with chicken pieces inside! When will you invite bloggers over to party and eat all your yummy cakes, pies and cooking??

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    1. TM, you are too generous with your compliments! Hmmm...party? hee..hee..

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  5. Have tried home cooked chicken rice a few times but that was a long time ago. Home cooked is always healthier and your chicken rice looks very yummy.

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    1. Thanks, Nancy! With this method, can cook more often :)

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  6. This seems like an easy enough one-pot-dish but I'm even worse (than you) at chopping chicken so I wouldn't dare try. But that sweet-sour chilli attracted me...it looked just like the ones from the chicken rice stalls.

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    1. The chilli sauce turned out pretty good. I just pounded some garlic, ginger, fresh chillies and squeezed limau kasturi juice. Then added some sugar and concentrated chicken stock. If you want something even more super, add some finely shredded kafir lime leaves.

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  7. Hi Phong Hong, HCR is also my favourite. I also love the easy ways of cooking it and it is better than from the HCR outlet. No good at chopping up the chicken - serve it whole, my family prefers it this way. I recommend that you check out this post of mine [http://kimmy-cookingpleasure.blogspot.com/2013/03/steamed-chicken-rice.html] when you crave for HCR, hehehe!

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    1. Kimmy, yes I saw your recipe quite some time ago and at that time I told myself I must try it. But as usual, there are so many recipes to try and I forgot about it hah..hah... I noted you have many chicken recipes and I should try a few for the LTU!

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  8. Phong Hong, i really salute you, everything you can, thumb up...

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    1. No lah, got a lot more things I don't know how to do like bread, pau, pies, etc.....

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  9. oooh, chicken rice, nice!! and i guess chicken rice is one of the basic comfort food for us.. let me tell you something, i don't actually quite fancy having rice, but then when it comes to chicken rice, i can just eat the rice without the need of the chicken to go with it, yes, plain chicken rice!! haha, because the rice itself is already flavored, so i don't have problem chucking it down my throat without the chicken, haha!!

    oh so everyone also wanna do the LazyMan's way?? haha.. true enough, it would be too troublesome and tiring if you wanna cook chicken rice the traditional way huh?? you need to cook the chicken and then bring it to boil and cool it down in iced water, boil it again and cool it, repeatedly and then for the rice gotta cook it with chicken oil etc etc, and the chili and etc.. i heard how it's cooked and i already find it too many things to do.. hahaha!! of course, you know me, i makan only lah~~ :D

    so this is the easier and simpler way to cook chicken rice, i think my dad does this at home also, just cook the chicken with rice and there goes our chicken rice for dinner.. not the Hainanese style but taste like it!! and i must say, your Lazy chicken rice indeed looks good leh, as good as those being sold outside woh.. but of course one thing is that, i hate chicken leg, give me breast and i would love this!! hehehe..

    so you have got some nice cucumbers and tomatoes to go with your rice!! that's nice, balanced and healthy.. hmm, i would actually like some ginger paste to go with my chicken rice rather than the chili.. i think the ginger will also be good with the cucumber and tomatoes.. :)

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    1. Oh ya, a good chicken rice is very hard to resist. The smell alone, haiyah! I must say that chicken rice is my favourite food when eating out. See chicken rice stall only, don't ask me about other dishes. I want chicken rice and the chicken must the "pak cham kai" and not the fried one. I can eat two plates! Half chicken also I can sapu :)

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  10. Don't like keh pui much, I always go to keh pui places to eat sio bak hahaha! XD

    But that way to cook the rice is genius!

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    1. Ah, sio bak! Goes well with keh pui too hee..hee...

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  11. Phong Hong,
    Fragrant chicken rice, homecooked not so oily.
    This is also rather common for me to make 1-pot chicken rice in rice cooker. Did I see pandan leave? Oh I'll just dump few pieces of pandan.

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    1. Karen, mine was a bit oily hah..hah..because I did not remove the chicken fat. Yes, I put pandan leaf for extra fragrance.

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  12. Hi Phong Hong,
    Home cook is always the best no matter how it is cook!
    I love your simple way of preparing this.
    Karen is right, add in some Pandan leaves,it smell so good!
    mui

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    1. mui mui, I feel like cooking this chicken rice again. Help!

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  13. it looks like a very light and healthy lunch!

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    1. It is, if taken in small portions :)

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  14. Hi Phong Hong...

    The word LAZY is so tempting. But then, one thing that I am curious about... is the chicken cooked through?

    Hadoi, now you are making me wish for chicken rice pulak. Dah malam ni.... Huwaa....

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    1. Mama, the chicken was cooked through, jangan risau. But for those people who prefer the traditional style, the chicken may be considered overcooked. Usually the chicken is boiled for a short while, ie until just cooked and then plunged in iced water to stop the cooking process. Kadang-kadang, still got a bit of blood when they chop the chicken. The flesh is moist and tender but geli lah if got blood.

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  15. Chicken rice is my default food when I could not find anything else to eat as chicken rice stalls are everywhere. Have you eaten Samsui chicken at One Utama? If you like to eat ginger, I think you will like the Samsui chicken.

    I see chilli in your photo. Did you make your own Hainanese Chicken Rice Chilli?

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    1. Mun, I have not eaten Samsui chicken. Yup, I made the chili sauce myself. It was not bad :)

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  16. Wow PH, that looks really good.... your chicken really smooth ah!

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    1. Thanks, Yen! If only it was properly chopped...

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  17. LOL...i also did that. one pot cook all.

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  18. OH MY GOD!!! HOLY MOLLY!!! I have bookmarked this!

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    1. hah..hah... Diana, your chicken rice will be smashing!

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  19. Hainanese chicken rice ... I can have it anytime with good chilli sauce! Yummy!

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    1. Yeah, the chiili sauce is equally important :)

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  20. Hi Phong Hong,

    I must bookmark this recipe!!! Just came back from Singapore and missing chicken rice now :p

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! This recipe is quite good. Just make sure to saute the garlic and ginger adequately for best results!

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  21. Thank you so much for sharing info related to food. Can you please also share details about singmenu \.

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