Hainanese chicken rice

Method

1. Pull off any flaps of yellow fat and loose skin from the chicken (keep them: they can stand in for chicken fat). Rub the skin with about a third of the salt for this step. Fill a 20 cm · 2 L pot with water, add the sliced ginger, the halved spring onions and the rest of the salt and bring to the boil over high heat; this takes about 10 min.

   Add in this stepWhole chicken legs, bone-in, skin-on (about 300 g each) 2Salt 1½ tspFresh ginger 24 gSpring onions 1½

   high heat

2. Holding each leg with tongs, lower it into the boiling water. As soon as it bubbles again, turn down to medium-low heat so only small bubbles rise at the edge of the pot (about 85–90 °C) and poach for 22 min; a rolling boil makes the meat tough. Turn off the heat, cover and leave for 10 min so the residual heat finishes the cooking. It is done when the juices run clear when you pierce next to the bone, or a thermometer reads at least 75 °C.

   medium-low heat

3. Fill a large bowl with iced water, lift the chicken into it and leave for 10 min. This tightens the skin into a smooth, jelly-like layer and keeps the meat moist. Keep the poaching broth warm over low heat; you need it for the rice.

4. Rinse the rice 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear and drain in a sieve for 10 minutes. Finely chop two thirds of the garlic and grate the rice portion of the ginger. Melt the chicken fat in a heavy 16 cm pot over medium-low heat and fry the garlic and ginger for 1 min 30 sec until fragrant and pale gold (brown garlic turns bitter). Add the rice and stir for 2 min, until every grain is glossy and slightly translucent at the edges.

   Add in this stepJasmine rice 180 gChicken fat (or neutral oil) 1½ tbspGarlic cloves 3Fresh ginger 8 g

   medium-low heat

5. Pour in 270 ml of the warm broth and add the salt for this step and the knotted pandan leaves. Bring to the boil over high heat, stir once right to the bottom, cover and lower to low heat for 13 min. Turn off the heat and leave covered, without lifting the lid, for 10 min. Remove the pandan and fluff the rice gently with a spatula.

   Add in this stepSalt 0.6 tspPandan leaves (optional) 1

   high heat→low heat

6. Chilli sauce: blend or pound the chillies (seeded for less heat), the remaining garlic, a third of the remaining ginger, the lime juice, sugar, the salt for this step and 2 tbsp warm broth 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 until it reaches about 170 °C (a piece of spring onion sizzles instantly), then pour it slowly over. It will splutter, so keep your face back and make sure the bowl is completely dry.

   Add in this stepRed chillies 3Garlic cloves 2Fresh ginger 48 gLime (or calamansi) 1Sugar 1½ tspSalt 0.4 tspNeutral oil 2 tbspSpring onions 1½

   medium heat

7. Debone the chicken if you like and cut it into 2 cm strips. Mix the light soy sauce, sesame oil and 2 tbsp broth and spoon over the chicken. Slice the cucumber on the diagonal. Mound the rice on plates with the chicken, cucumber and coriander, and serve the chilli sauce, ginger sauce and dark soy sauce in small dishes, with the remaining broth, seasoned to taste, as a soup on the side.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 1½ tbspToasted sesame oil 1½ tspThick sweet dark soy sauce 2 tspCucumber ½Fresh coriander (cilantro) to taste