Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

• 1 free-range chicken (, about 3 lb / 1.5 kg)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 10 cloves garlic (, crushed)
• 1 bunch scallions (, coarsely chopped)
• 1 cup Shaoxing wine
• 1 2-inch / 5 cm piece ginger, cut in 4
• 4 quarts water
• 16 oz. jasmine rice
• 1/2 cucumber
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 8 scallions (, thinly sliced)
• 4 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• White pepper (, freshly ground)
• Spicy soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic (, minced)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 3 teaspoons chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Scallion and ginger sauce ---

2. 2

   Mix the scallions, ginger, sesame oil, salt and white pepper in a bowl.

3. 3

   Heat a saucepan over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add vegetable oil and heat for 2 minutes or until steaming just begins.

5. 5

   Remove the saucepan from the heat.

6. 6

   Add the oil slowly, carefully, to the bowl with the scallion/ginger mixture. The oil should sizzle. Stir well.

7. 7

   Set aside.

8. 8

   --- Spicy soy sauce ---

9. 9

   Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

10. 10

    Set aside.

11. 11

    --- Chicken ---

12. 12

    Place the chicken, breast side up, in a Dutch oven.

13. 13

    Add ginger, garlic, scallions and salt.

14. 14

    Add water.

15. 15

    Place pot over high heat and, 2 minutes after boiling again, cover and reduce heat to low to medium.

16. 16

    Cook the chicken for 1 hour over low heat.

17. 17

    Turn the chicken over so that the breast side is submerged in the cooking water.

18. 18

    Cover and cook again for 5 minutes over very low heat.

19. 19

    Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth and place it in a large deep dish. Cover it immediately so it doesn't dry out.

20. 20

    --- Rice ---

21. 21

    Filter the chicken broth and take 2½ cups (650 ml).

22. 22

    Pour it into a saucepan with an airtight lid.

23. 23

    Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain. Pour the rice into the broth.

24. 24

    Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring the rice occasionally.

25. 25

    As soon as it boils again, reduce the heat to medium/low and cover.

26. 26

    Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until seeing small holes in the surface of the rice and it begins to puff up.

27. 27

    Reduce the heat to very low, stir the rice with a fork and cover again

28. 28

    Cook for an additional 10 minutes until the rice is shiny and tender.

29. 29

    If the rice is still a little firm, add a few tablespoons of boiling broth and cook covered for a few more minutes.

30. 30

    When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and let stand for another 5 minutes.

31. 31

    --- To serve ---

32. 32

    Peel just a few strips from the cucumber, then cut it into thin, slightly beveled slices.

33. 33

    Arrange the cucumber and cilantro on a large serving platter.

34. 34

    When the chicken is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the thighs and drumsticks and cut them into pieces using a very sharp knife.

35. 35

    Next, cut the breast in half across the bone, cutting on each side of the breast bone.

36. 36

    Remove the breasts in one piece and remove any fragments of cartilage or bone.

37. 37

    Then cut the breast into thick slices.

38. 38

    Arrange all the chicken on the dish next to the cucumber.

39. 39

    Pour the rice into a separate dish or into individual bowls.

40. 40

    Serve with both sauces.