Slow-poached Hainanese chicken rice

Method

1. Chop the chicken skin and fat trimmings small, put them in a cold small pan and render slowly over medium-low heat for 12 min. When the bits are golden and crisp and clear fat has pooled, strain: keep the fat for the rice and the crackling for garnish.

   Add in this stepChicken skin and fat trimmings 60 g

   medium-low heat

2. Cut the wings at the joints into 2–3 pieces and rinse in cold water. Put them in a 20 cm · 2 L pot with water, the stock portion of the ginger (sliced), the halved spring onions and the salt for this step and bring to the boil over high heat. Skim off the foam, lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 30 min for a flavourful stock. Meanwhile take the chicken legs out of the fridge to lose their chill.

   Add in this stepChicken wings or backs (for stock) 350 gFresh ginger 27 gSpring onions 1½Salt 1 tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. Rub the legs with the salt for this step. Holding the end of the bone, dip each leg into the boiling stock for 5 seconds and lift it out, three times; this tightens the skin. Submerge the legs completely, put a thermometer in the pot and adjust the heat around low heat to hold about 80 °C for 35 min. When the thickest part next to the bone reaches 75 °C, lift them into iced water for 10 min. Remove the wings and strain the stock; keep it warm.

   Add in this stepWhole chicken legs, bone-in, skin-on (about 300 g each) 2Salt ½ tsp

   low heat

4. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear and drain for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the shallots, chop two thirds of the garlic and grate the rice portion of the ginger. Heat the chicken fat from step 1 in a 16 cm pot over medium-low heat and fry the shallots, garlic and ginger for 2 min until fragrant and the shallots turn translucent, then add the rice and stir for 2 min until glossy.

   Add in this stepJasmine rice 180 gShallots 1Garlic cloves 3.6Fresh ginger 9 g

   medium-low heat

5. Add 270 ml of warm stock, the salt for this step and the knotted pandan. Bring to the boil over high heat, stir once, cover and lower to low heat for 13 min; turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 min. Remove the pandan and fluff the rice.

   Add in this stepSalt ½ tspPandan leaves 1

   high heat→low heat

6. Chilli sauce: blend the red and bird's eye chillies, the remaining garlic, a third of the remaining ginger, the lime juice, the sugar and salt for this step and 3 tbsp warm stock into a slightly coarse sauce. Ginger sauce: finely grate the rest of the ginger and finely slice the spring onions into a dry heatproof bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat for 1 min to about 170 °C (a piece of spring onion sizzles at once) and pour it slowly over. It splutters, so keep your face back.

   Add in this stepRed chillies 3Bird's eye chillies 1Garlic cloves 2.4Fresh ginger 54 gLime (or calamansi) 1Sugar 1¼ tspSalt ½ tspNeutral oil 2 tbspSpring onions 1½

   medium heat

7. In a small pan, simmer the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, remaining sugar and 4 tbsp stock over medium-low heat for 1 min until lightly glossy, then take off the heat and stir in the sesame oil and white pepper. Debone the chicken and cut it into 2 cm slices. Arrange with the rice, diagonally sliced cucumber and coriander, spoon over the dressing and top with the crackling; serve with the chilli sauce, ginger sauce, dark soy sauce and a bowl of stock.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 1½ tbspOyster sauce 1½ tspSugar ¾ tspToasted sesame oil 1½ tspGround white pepper 1 pinchThick sweet dark soy sauce 2 tspCucumber ½Fresh coriander (cilantro) to taste

   medium-low heat