Hainanese chicken rice

Make Hainanese chicken rice at home

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lb)
• 2-inch piece ginger, sliced
• 4 scallions
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pandan leaves (optional)
• Cucumber slices and cilantro
• Chili sauce, ginger-scallion paste, and dark soy sauce

How it's made

1. Rub the chicken with salt and stuff the cavity with ginger and scallions.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer, lower in the chicken, cover, and poach off the heat for 40-45 minutes until cooked through.
3. Plunge the chicken into ice water for 10 minutes to set the skin, then brush with sesame oil.
4. Skim fat from the broth; fry garlic in a little of it, add rinsed rice, and stir 1 minute.
5. Cook the rice with an equal amount of strained broth, a little less than usual, with pandan until tender.
6. Carve the chicken and serve over rice with cucumber, cilantro, a bowl of warm broth, and the three sauces.