Hainanese Chicken Rice

Authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin and most commonly associated with Hainanese, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisines. Foreigners love to have chicken rice when they travel to South East Asia. Well, instead of writing how good it is, why don’t you try to buy the ingredients and test it yourself in your home? An interesting fact is that every region in South East Asia has it's own regional variety. This post would not be long enough to mention all types of chicken rice. Roasted or non roasted, all chicken rice have it's own distinct flavor and are yummi! The differences in regional varieties are highlighted further down at the bottom. The video shows in practice step by step on how to prepare authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice.

I had the opportunity to eat chicken rice back in Europe, I can tell you that its by far not the same nor authentic as it is in Singapore or Malaysia. So, if you ever decide to pass by again, I’d recommend purchasing the ingredients in Asia locally. Hainanese Chicken Rice is considered as one of the national dish of Singapore and is often served everywhere from school canteens, hawker stalls or other outlets island wide.

Ingredients:

One whole kampung chicken
70 ml sesame oil
60 ml light soy sauce
Pandan leaves
60 ml of concentrated chicken stock
Sliced ginger
Finely chopped GarlicRice
Cooking Oil
Chicken fat
Salt
Shallot oilChili
1/3 chili padi
fresh lime
one red chili
chicken broth
minced ginger

All time favorite

Prepare chicken stock by boiling chicken bones in water for at least 1 hour (the longer you boil the better). Bring another pot of water to boil, making sure that there is enough water so that the entire chicken can be submerged. Once the water is boiling, put all the ingredients listed above into the boiling water. Next, dip the chicken into the boiling water and dip it a few times until the skin is cooked. Once the skin is cooked, leave the chicken under the water to cook. This is to ensure that the skin does not break. The cooking time is about 30 minutes for a 1.5kg chicken. Ensure that the water be kept just below the boiling point during the entire cooking process. Once chicken is cooked, put the chicken immediately into cool water for a few minutes. This will stop the cooking process and ensure that the meat will remain tender and the skin crunchy.

To cook the rice, combine the concentrated chicken stock and the other ingredients listed above with enough water from the chicken broth to cover the rice. The water level should be as per the normal levels for cooking white rice. Cook the rice as per the normal method. 

To prepare chili sauce, first squeeze the lime to obtain fresh lime juice. Next, blend the ingredients in a blender until it is fluid and smooth. Finally, add some salt and sugar to taste and mix thoroughly. 

Enjoy your chicken rice! 

Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore

The Regional Variations of Chicken Rice

CHICKEN RICE SINGAPORE

The prevalence of stalls selling Hainanese chicken rice as their primary specialty in Singapore underscores the dish's popularity amongst Singaporeans and overseas visitors. Hainanese chicken rice is considered one of the national dishes of Singapore and is often served at international expositions and global events abroad, and in Singaporean-run restaurants overseas. Hainanese chicken rice is also one of the few local dishes served on Singapore Airlines flights.

In Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is served everywhere from school canteens, hawker stalls to major restaurants. There are Hainanese chicken rice stalls that have established franchise or branch outlets, and these include Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, Boon Tong Kee, Loy Kee, Wee Nam Kee and others which have many outlets island wide. It is very common to find Rice Balls in such chain eateries. The price range is around S$ 2.50–4.50 (the latter if the dish includes a drumstick). Most stalls serve extras such as braised dark soy hard boiled egg, chicken liver, braised dark soy firm tofu (Tau-kwa) and kai-lan with oyster sauce as side dishes and a bowl of plain chicken stock soup. The choice of white (steamed) or roasted chicken is commonly available at almost all eateries.

Hainanese-owned coffee shops tend to serve a variety of Hainanese cuisine, with chicken rice being the main highlight. Other Hainanese dishes include pork chop, vegetables, fish, eggs and char siew. Most of these shops are air-conditioned, and are mainly concentrated at Purvis Street and Seah Street.The dish was popularized in Singapore in the 1950s by Moh Lee Twee, whose Swee Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant operated from 1947 to 1997.

CHICKEN RICE IN MALAYSIA

In Malaysia, Hainanese chicken rice is also called nasi ayam (not to be confused with nasi lemak); nasi means rice and ayam means chicken in Bahasa Malaysia. Most chicken rice vendors in the country also offer an alternative of roasted chicken instead of the regular poached or steamed chicken. Other variations include a BBQ version or also a honey-roasted choice.

Some restaurants offer Guangxi-style white cut chicken as part of the chicken rice experience. An important heritage dish for Malaysian Chinese descended from immigrants from Guangxi province, it is always served during festive or special occasions. The chicken is drenched prior to serving with nam, a sauce prepared with chopped garlic chives, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

In Malacca, the chicken rice is served as rice balls rather than a bowl of rice, commonly known as Chicken rice balls. Steamed rice is shaped into golf ball-sized orbs and served alongside the chopped chicken. This dish is eaten the same way as the regular version, making sure to get a portion of chicken, some rice and the soy and chili condiment into each mouthful. Older chefs argue that the rice was originally shaped into balls because it needed to be kept warm from the time it was cooked (often earlier in the day) until mealtime. The rice balls, when stored in wooden containers, apparently stayed warm for a longer time. The other theory is that the rice balls were more portable and were easier for laborers working on plantations to transport from home. Today, rice balls are appreciated more as a novelty than anything else.

Bean sprouts chicken (ngah choi kai) of Ipoh, Malaysia, is a related dish. The chicken is served with blanched bean sprouts and white rice instead of seasoned rice. This is a very popular version of the rice and many other chicken rice stalls have slowly followed it by adding bean sprouts along with the chicken. The chicken rice dish can also be further accompanied by a simple pork meatball soup. In addition to that, various hawkers also sell a variety of chicken innards – gizzard, liver, intestines – which are also equally popular for chicken rice lovers.

Chicken rice, or nasi ayam, is also very popular with the Malay community, with the dish adapted to suit the Malay liking for spicier and more robustly flavored food. The chicken is steamed and then fried or roasted, although this usually results in a drier texture for the chicken meat. The chili condiment has also been modified: less garlic and ginger are used, and tamarind juice is added to the condiment for a tangier taste. Chicken rice has become extremely popular among Muslims in Malaysia such that certain food stalls can survive very well by serving only Chicken rice.

CHICKEN RICE IN THAILAND

Hainanese chicken rice is a common dish in Thailand where it is called khao man kai, literally meaning "chicken-oil rice". The chickens used in Thailand for this dish can be free-range chickens of local breeds, resulting in a leaner and tastier dish, but increasingly meat chickens from large-scale poultry farms are being used. Khao man kai is served with a garnish of cucumbers and occasionally chicken blood tofu and fresh coriander, along with a bowl of nam sup, a clear chicken broth that often contains sliced daikon. The accompanying sauce is most often made with tauchu (also known as yellow soybean paste), thick soy sauce, chili, ginger, garlic, and vinegar.

One famous Bangkok neighborhood for Khao man kai is Pratunam in Ratchathewi district, located near to Platinum Fashion Mall, CentralWorld, and Ratchaprasong Intersection. Several restaurants in Pratunam received Bib Gourmand awards from the 2018 Michelin Guide. It has been reported that these restaurants are especially popular amongst Hong Kong, Japanese, and Taiwanese tourists. Khao man kai is also well known in other areas, including Bang Sue, Talat Phlu, Yaowarat, and Phasi Charoen near Bang Wa BTS station and Phyathai 3 Hospital including various places viz Thanon Tok near Rama III Bridge, Thong Lor on Sukhumvit Road, Wat Suthiwararam School, Yan Nawa, Bang Kapi, Wat Saket and Saphan Kwai neighborhoods etc.

Pad Thai - The real Thai dish

What is actually behind this popular Thai dish that everyone wants to know about and how did it all start? Pad Thai is a dish synonymous with Thailand and, unlike Singapore noodles, is actually from the place it’s named for! Thai people take great pride in the dish and use it as a yardstick for their own cuisine. “Whenever we try Thai food, we try Pad Thai first because that is a way to judge how good a restaurant is,” chef and Thailand native Nick Srisawat tells Gastronomica.

It’s become a staple in Bangkok and is loved across the world, but the story of its inception is one you might not know.

Back in 1938, a man named Phibunsongkhram, better known as Phibun in the West had just played a prominent role as a military officer in a coup that dethroned Thailand’s monarchy and, after rising through the ranks of government, became Prime Minister (dictator).

Despite being the center of power in Thailand, Phibun was worried. Siam as Thailand was then known had never been colonized, but was surrounded by the French and British. Siam was also an ethnically diverse country with strong regional identities, and with the removal of the monarchy, there was little to hold these disparate groups together.

So, in an effort to forge a true national identity and more importantly cement his power, Phibun decided to transform the country’s culture and identity. From 1939–1942, Phibun passed 12 Cultural Mandates that would hopefully encourage the Siamese people to be productive, well-mannered, and proud of their country.

Phibun’s mandates were incredibly nationalistic, and like a lot of modern-day legislation, were aimed to curb foreign influence within Siam. Some of his mandates—like his desire for everyone to wear hats in public—have faded into the fog of history. But his decision to change the name of the country to Thailand has stuck, and his ability to forge a true national identity has lived on.

“But what has this got to do with Pad Thai?” I hear you ask. Patience, we’re getting to that.

Before Phibun, Pad Thai didn’t exist. In fact, most Thai people ate rice with chili paste, leaves, and salt and bought lunch and snacks from Chinese food vendors. But during World War II, Thailand suffered a shortage of rice, and Phibun used this shortage as a nationalistic propaganda opportunity. Thus Pad Thai was born, ironically from a dish with Chinese origins. The original name for Pad Thai was ‘Gway Teow Pad Thai’. ‘Gway Teow’ is a Chinese word for rice noodles, while ‘Pad’ means ‘fried’ and ‘Thai’ means ‘in Thai style’. Some people believe that a similar creation to Pad Thai was brought to Siam by Chinese traders in the 1700s.

Phibun’s son told Gastronomica that his family cooked Pad Thai before his father made it the national dish of Thailand, but is unsure who invented it. Others say there was a national competition held and Pad Thai won. What everyone does agree on is that the dish was used to protect Thailand’s rice resources. Noodles are cheap and economical to produce and could be dried and kept for long periods of time. The amount of rice used to make noodles was 50% of what would be consumed if it was eaten unprocessed, so noodles essentially doubled Thailand’s rice stores.

Married with Phibuns mandates, Pad Thai was promoted heavily up and down the country under the campaign slogan “noodle is your lunch”. The propaganda-led menu change told the Thai people they were “helping the war effort” and “supporting [their] country” all while reducing the influence of international powers within the country. The Public Welfare Department gave out recipes to restaurants and even gave free food carts to people to sell Pad Thai in the streets, all while quietly banning foreign nationals from selling their wares.

But it worked. The Thai people adopted Pad Thai and started eating it regularly. Phibun’s push to unite the Thai people under his nationalist agenda worked and the Thai nation started to become the country Australians regularly visit today.

So, next time you order pad thai from your local Thai, remember it was the delicious brainchild of a dictator. Oh and Phibun? The vocal fan of Mussolini and the man who forged an alliance with Japan during World War II? After numerous coups where he lost and then regained power, he was forced into exile in Japan in 1957 and lived there until his death in 1964.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces pad thai or lo mein noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 medium lime)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped, unsalted peanuts


PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain the noodles and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until tender.

Whisk the eggs lightly with a fork. Pour them into the skillet and cook just until they solidify, but are still moist, moving the eggs around the skillet slightly as they cook so that they lightly scramble. When the eggs are cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the scrambled eggs. Add the noodles and toss to coat in the sauce.

Sprinkle the green onions, cilantro, and peanuts over the noodles. Toss lightly to combine. Serve warm and hope you enjoyed this recipe.

The Original Roasted Duck Rice Recipe

Duck rice is a Southeast Asian meat dish usually consumed by the Chinese diaspora in Maritime Southeast Asia, made of either braised or roasted duck and plain white rice. The braised duck is usually cooked with yam and shrimps; it can be served simply with plain white rice and a thick dark sauce; side dishes of braised hard-boiled eggs, preserved salted vegetables, or hard beancurd may be added. In addition, Teochew boneless duck rice is similar, but a more refined dish; due to the slightly tougher texture of duck, the duck is artfully deboned and sliced thinly for the convenience and ease of the diner, allowing the sauces to seep into the meat, making it a more pleasant experience on the whole; Hainanese chicken rice and other similar dishes have followed this style due to the popularity.

Method:

Prep:15min › Cook:1hr10min › Extra time:5hr resting › Ready in:6hr25min 

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Trim off the visible duck fat, then prick the skin all over, piercing through the fat but not through the meat. Plunge the duck into the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and dry on kitchen paper.

Stir together the hoisin sauce, five-spice powder, root ginger, spring onions, sherry, and yellow bean sauce, and spread on the underside of the duck. Place it, skin side up, on a rack set over a roasting tin.

Put the honey, soy sauce, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour this mixture over the duck, collecting the juices in the tin. Pour the mixture back over the duck twice more, then leave the duck, on the rack, in a cool, draughty place for about 5 hours. Alternatively, leave it in front of a fan, or in a fan oven with just the fan turned on and no heat, for 2 hours. The skin of the duck should dry out and look a bit like baking parchment. Reserve the honey and soy mixture.

Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas 6. Pour about 300ml of water into the roasting tin.

Roast until the skin is very crisp and brown, about 1 hour.

Pour the reserved honey and soy mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes to make a sauce to serve with the roast duck.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4
1 (2kg) whole duck
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 tablespoon grated root ginger
2 spring onions, chopped
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons yellow bean sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 ta dark soy sauce

300ml water

This dish can commonly be found in food centers all around Singapore.

In Thailand, this dish is called Khao na ped (ข้าวหน้าเป็ด; lit: "rice topped with duck"), and is sold by street vendors or in restaurants inside shopping malls. A Bangkok neighborhood that specializes in its duck rice is Bangrak on Charoen Krung road. In addition, it has also been adapted to other dishes by mixing roasted red pork and Chinese sausage with special gravy, a dish called Khao che po (ข้าวเฉโป) or Khao sia po (ข้าวเสียโป), meaning "gamble away rice". It is considered traditional Teochew cuisine.

The Real Chef of Bangkok

We all know that Bangkok is a dynamic city of stars, culinary adventurers and shine. As visitors, we often rely on guide books that reveal restaurants that in many cases paid for advertising. But what we dont know are the hidden treasures of culinary marvels that the city of Bangkok has to offer. Forget TV for instance, as we have some guys that are doing a great job in discovering Bangkok cuisines on Youtube.

JAY FAI (ร้านเจ๊ไฝ)

Jay Fai (ร้านเจ๊ไฝ) is no doubt one of the most legendary Thai street food restaurants in Bangkok - some people are loyal fans, others say that it’s overpriced. It’s a Thai restaurants in Bangkok that I had been wanting to eat at for a long time, but never got around to it - partly because it is so expensive.

So finally one day for lunch, Ying and I drove over to central Bangkok to try Jay Fai (ร้านเจ๊ไฝ) for the first time. But really quickly, about the name.... In Thai, Jay (เจ๊) means a Chinese Aunty and Fai (ไฝ) means a mole, yes a mole.

What I can tell you first about the restaurant is that the owner is absolutely awesome. She wears ski goggles and a snow cap while she’s cooking, and she cooks over huge fire charcoal, fanning the flame as she expertly cooks. She’s also quite a character, and she loves to chat - so while I was filming she shared all about herself, and how her method of cooking her legendary Thai crab omelet ensures that it doesn’t soak up very much oil. It’s indeed the most amazing omelet you might ever see in your life.

Crab omelet (ไข่เจียวปู) - You can either order the 800 THB or the 1000 THB crab omelet, I went with the 1000 THB. It’s huge, but only uses 2 eggs, but it’s packed with shell-less crab nuggets. The omelet is cooked burrito style, and it’s massive. It’s a must-order when you eat at Jay Fai (ร้านเจ๊ไฝ).

Eating at Thai street food restaurants like this can be all about expectations. You have to go in knowing the prices are very high and you’re going to spend way more money than going to any other corner Thai street food restaurant. That being said, it’s a one-of-a-kind historical culinary legend of a restaurant in Bangkok.

Address: 337-261 Maha Chai Rd, Khwaeng Samran Rat, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand

Chicken Chow Mein - Easy steps on how to cook like a chef

I've been trying to find a good chicken chow mein recipe for a while now to be able to make it at home, as it's one of my favorite dishes from take away. Quick and easy, simple and fragrant, I simply love to eat chow mien at least once a week. From what I read in the encyclopedia is that Chow mein are stir-fried noodles, the name being the romanization of the Taishanese chāu-mèing. The dish is popular throughout the Chinese diaspora where it would appear on the menu of Chinese restaurants. This special dish is the easiest and best chicken chow mein noodles you’ll ever make. Healthy, budget-friendly and a zillion times better than takeout!

Nowadays chow mein is so popular that people know about it's existence even around the Mediterranean. There are two main kinds of chow meins available on the market:

• Steamed chow mein, and
• Crispy chow mein, also known as Hong Kong style chow mein

How to prepare an awesome Chicken Chow Mein

Marinate the chicken: Combine the 2 teaspoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Add the sliced chicken, and toss to completely coat. Set aside while you cook the noodles. Cook the chow mein noodles according to package directions, drain well, and set aside. Heat half of the oil (1 tablespoon) in a very large skillet or wok. When is is very hot, but not smoking, add the chicken mixture, and stir fry until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate, set aside and keep warm. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet, then add the cabbage, bok choy, water chestnuts and garlic; stir fry for a couple of minutes until the vegetables begin to wilt. Add the noodles, and continue to cook until the noodles are hot, and well combined with the vegetables.

Add the soy sauce and oyster sauce, toss to combine. Add the chicken, toss to combine. Transfer the chow mein to a serving platter, and top with the chopped green onions. Serve immediately.

Chow Mein with spicy Sriracha flavor

Ingredients (from 3 to 4):

2 teaspoons soy sauce (I use low sodium)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into very thin slices
12 ounces chow mein noodles (the soft kind found fresh, not the hard crunchy ones)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 small napa cabbage, sliced into 1 inch strips
2 baby bok choy, sliced into 1 inch strips
5 ounces water chestnuts, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 green onions, chopped

Dim Sum made easy - A great Dim Sum recipe from Hong Kong

The unique culinary art of Dim Sum originated in China many hundreds of years ago. According to some sources the first Dim Sum was made 2,500 years ago, as evident in the poetry and music of that time.

Although Dim Sum is inextricably linked to Cantonese cuisine, some people believe that Dim Sum actually did not originate in Canton. The first Dim Sum is believed to have been made in Northern China and has changed and developed enormously over the centuries. The names of these little delicacies have also gradually changed. Originally it was an exclusive luxury made for the Emperor and his family, but it was also enjoyed by the wealthy. Eventually it was also served in tea houses, particularly the busy tea houses along the famous Silk Road. In the early 20th century there were many developments in the world of Dim Sum. The descendants of the Manchurian empire did not need to work so to pass the time they frequented eating and drinking establishments. Tea houses and restaurants vied with each other for business by offering Dim Sum in ever increasing varieties.

Traditional steamer made of Bamboo

Nowadays Dim Sum is an integral part of Chinese culture, and is widely appreciated in many other Asian countries. The filling, pastry and shape depends on the region and climate from which it originates. The tastiest and best, according to many, comes from Southern China, Canton and Hong Kong. Eating Dim Sum at a restaurant is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha), as tea is typically served with Dim Sum. I personally love Dim Sum, can't get tired from eating Dim Sum on Weekends, a great alternative to western food which allows you to gather with your loved ones. The cheapest and one of the most delicious Michelin star Dim Sum Restaurants in Hong Kong is Tim Ho Wan.

A Shumai with pork at a market in Hong Kong

How to make Har Gow

A typical Dim Sum eatery, Sam Hai Yat in Hong Kong and daily early morning struggle to make the perfect dim sum. The interesting documentary ''The Art of Dim Sum'' introduces the art of making Dim Sum by Dim Sum masters in Hong Kong.

Preparation method

Book written by Ellen Leong

For the dips, place the soy sauce, sesame oil and one of the chopped red chilies into a clean bowl and

whisk together. Meanwhile, place the rice vinegar, sugar and the remaining one chopped red chili into a pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then pour into a clean bowl.

For the prawn dim sum, place the prawns into a small food processor and blend to a purée. Transfer to a bowl, add all the other ingredients, except the dim sum wrappers, and mix thoroughly. Place the wrappers onto a clean work surface and place a small spoonful of prawn mixture in the centre of each wrapper. Fold the wrappers over the prawn mixture to create a semi-circle. Press the edges of the wrapper together with damp fingers to seal the wrapper parcels and crimp the edges.

Place the parcels into a bamboo steamer over a pan of simmering water and cover. Steam for 4-5 minutes, or until the prawn mixture is completely cooked through. Remove from the steamer and serve immediately.

To serve, place the dim sum onto a serving plate with both bowls of dips alongside.