December 5, 2006
Hainanese Chicken Rice
This is the third time I am making Hainanese Chicken Rice and I am proud to say I finally got the chicken texture I desire.
Usually when I first attempt a recipe, I would follow the recipe instructions lock stock and barrel. Then I would adjust the cooking technique according to my own experience and substitute the ingredients according to my own taste.
For this Hainanese Chicken Rice, of course I had help from my favorite Prima Taste premix. The first time I made this, I used a small whole chicken. I decided that it was too tedious to cut the chicken into its parts. Besides, I am not too keen on breast meat, although that is supposed to be the healthier part of the chicken. The packet instructions also said to simmer the chicken in the stock for half an hour. Because the stock is made from a packet of Prima Paste, it kind of discolored the chicken meat and the end result was that the chicken meat did not look whitish, like what you find in authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice.
This time round, I got a good tip from Chubby Hubby: “Bring a deep stockpot, filled with enough water to cover the chicken, to the boil. Lower the chicken into the pot—it should be completely immersed. Immediately turn off the heat, cover, and leave to stand for 1 hour. At 15-minute intervals, lift the chicken and drain the water from the cavity to ensure that the chicken cooks inside as well. At the 30-minute mark, reheat the water almost to boiling point, then turn the heat off. Never having been allowed to boil, the chicken should be cooked to succulent and juicy perfection.” That was the statement that caught my eye and made me see light!
I used 4 chicken thighs this time, and using the great tip above as well as using the rest of Prima Taste Premix, I got it just right this time - chicken cooked to succulent and juicy perfection! BINGO!
Bite This!
More recipes:
Prima Taste Restaurant Food Review - Part 1
Hainanese Chicken Rice - The Malaysian Version
The Rapper Cook’s Preview Into Her 2007 Menu
Prima Taste Premixes - For The Homesick Singaporean
Prima Taste Restaurant Food Review - Part 2 of 2
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December 5th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Wow…how much do you charge for one-person rice set? heeheehee…
You surely put in a lot of effort…”bathing” the chicken in hot bath. The chicken is so lucky to get royal treatment. :p
December 5th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
Erm… let’s see… US$8 for one-person rice set - lunch special. :) The simmering method made the chicken a bit tough so no choice… got to give them special treatment!
December 5th, 2006 at 9:50 pm
Yich,
time to fire up and start up the Yich’s Home Kitchen eatery.
December 6th, 2006 at 7:16 am
I am but a humble cook learning how to survive in the U S of A.
December 6th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
I’m not too fond of breast meat either. It always seem to dry.
December 7th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
It just reminded me of cooking around 100 chickens in a Easter Camp. We were volunteering as kitchen helpers and we were to help prepare food for 400 over people for 3 days.
One of the meals were Chicken Rice. We had whole chicken, cooked by immersion method as well. But the fun part was chopping up the chicken as they were being served. Hands ache like mad after that. Well, those satisfied people made our day, especially those who came back for seconds.
December 20th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
Hi Yich,
Very nice and yummy.
Pertaining to your post on try to surviving in US. I think you are capable to organise a small group of cooking teach session. Why not try to mix around with the American Chinese overthere. Organise a few session of free testing session. Cook something to impress them. Then, see your teaching session later. Or put up ads in grocery shop with notice board, start advertise your service.
January 8th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Hey Yich,
I’m Hainanese and I have to say you missed the best part of the dish. Directions on how to cook the rice in the chicken broth. I’ve never used a seasoning packet. Didn’t know it exists.
And the ginger/chili dipping sauce for the chicken.
I’ll have get around to posting my recipe for it one of these days.
January 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Chopsticks - Erm.. Some people say need to soak the rice first, but I did not.
I add chicken stock to rice. Add Prima Taste seasoning packet for chicken rice. Cook rice in rice cooker.
My rice tends to burn at the base of the cooker if I use broth, so what I did was : when rice is almost cooked, I transfer the rice cooker pot to another bigger pot to steam and finish cooking the rice.
Ginger/chili dip and sweet dark soy sauce all came with the Prima Taste Box. :)
I look forward to your recipe! I think need a lot of work to cook Hainanese Chicken rice from scratch!
January 8th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Yich,
Sounds like you did all the work already! Who needs a seasoning packet? :)
Soaking the rice does make a difference in how much of the broth gets absorbed so the flavor is stronger. I’ve done the lazy route and just put the rice and broth in the rice cooker too but it’s really not the same.
January 17th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
[…] This time round, I wanted to eat something other than Hainanese Chicken Rice (since I can make that at home anyway right?) So I went through a process of selection by elimination on what would pair up well with Crispy Baby Squids. […]
January 19th, 2007 at 11:51 am
[…] It is a breeze to cook Hainanese Chicken rice with Prima Taste Premix, but making it from scratch is new to me so I told him “I can follow this recipe… but no guarantee ok?” When I say “no guarantee” to him, it means I may or have screwed up the recipe and the hidden connotation is “please still finish up everything.” […]