We explored one of the most traditional dish/food Bak Kut Teh in Malaysia. This time we are going to explore the most classic and mouth-watering dish/food in Singapore – the Hainanese Chicken Rice. I am sure if you have been to Singapore before, you must try this dish during your trip. But did you even ask, why this famous Singaporean dish is called “Hainanese rice”? Let’s find out the reason behind!
“Hainanese” Chicken Rice from Singapore!?
The original Hainanese Chicken Rice was a popular home-style dish called “Wen Chang Chicken” from Wen Chang in Hainan Province. In early 1900s, some Hainanese migrated to South East Asia, and therefore brought this dish to Malaysia and Singapore.
By words of mouth, the Hainanese Chicken Rice was first appeared and sold in Malaysia by some food hawkers (Although Singapore and Malaysia fought for the origin of Hainanese Chicken Rice for 100 years…, Anyways). To catch people’s eyes and increase sales, those hawkers used Hainanese Chicken Rice as a stake and bet with people on the street. People can have free chicken rice if they win, otherwise, the hawkers can get their money and walk away.
In 1930s, a man called Wong Yi Yuen started his first Hainanese Chicken Rice restaurant in Singapore. His restaurant became well-known at that time and the succeed of this restaurant laid the groundwork of the Hainanese Chicken Rice’s development in Singapore later.
Flavours and Sauces of Hainanese Chicken Rice
Making the full set of Hainanese Chicken Rice, we will enjoy the “chicken feast” in different ways – chicken itself, chicken oil rice and chicken soup. To make the chicken silky and tender, it needs to be soaked in water with 70 degree Celsius for about 30 minutes. After obtaining the chicken soup (Boiling water used for soaking the chicken), we use the chicken soup and chicken oil as base to cook the chicken rice.
Also, another important element that should not be missed in this dish is sauces. In traditional Chinese “Wen Chang Chicken”, it usually paired up with “Jiang Young” (薑蓉, mashed spring onion and ginger), while in Singapore style Hainanese Chicken Rice, also the sour chili sauce and dark soy sauce will be served (little bit of sourness and spiciness can bring freshness under the hot weather in Singapore!)
In this hot summer, let’s try to make this refreshing Singaporean/Malaysian/Chinese dish at home!
Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice (海南雞飯)
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot
- 1 Rice Cooker
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 piece Chicken (About weight of 1kg)
- 1 bunch Pandan Leaves
- 5 pieces Ginger
- 3 gloves Garlic
- 3 pieces Shallots
- 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1000 ml Water
- Salt
Chicken Oil Rice
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 2 cups Indica Rice
- ½ piece Shallot (Sliced)
- Turmeric Powder
Chili Sauce
- 1 piece Chili
- 2 gloves Garlic
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice/ Lime Juice
- 1 White vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
- Sugar
Ginger and Spring Onion Sauce
- ½ bunch Spring Onion
- 1 tbsp Grinded Ginger
- 1½ tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Dark Soy Sauce
Ice Water Bath
- 300 g Ice Cubes
- 500 ml Boiled Cold Water
- 1 piece Cucumber
Instructions
Hainanese Chicken
- Prepare all ingredients. Pat the garlic gloves and shallots. Tie a knot on pandan leaves with knot.
- Chop off the chicken feets at 3cm below the hock joint to prevent shrinkage of chicken thighs. Cut off a a piece of chicken fat for later use.
- Boil 1000ml water with patted garlic gloves, shallots, pandan leaves and salt with medium heat for 20 mins.
- Soap the chicken into the boiling water for 5 seconds, then lift the chicken up to drain off the water. Repeat this step for 3 times to ensure the chicken surface is evenly heated.
- Turn the stove to lowest heat and leave the chicken in the water for 30 minutes. After that, lift up the chicken and reserve the left over chicken soup for later use.Tips: To check if the chicken is done or not, pricks the chicken thigh with bamboo stick to see if there is any watery blood leak out. If yes, soap it for longer time to make sure the chicken is done. Also, turn the chicken in different position to make sure the whole chicken is evenly cooked.
- Prepare the ice water bath, soap the chicken into the ice water bath and soap for at least 20 minutes.Tips: This move can keep the chicken in shrink and tender.
- Chop the chicken into different parts and then small pieces.
Chicken Oil Rice
- Use fry pan to fry the reserved chicken fat. Then add 2 cups of rice grains, sliced shallot and turmeric powder
- Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken soup into the rice and cook
Chili Sauce
- Remove the seed and capsaicin glands of the chili. Mince the garlic and chili.
- Add lemon juice/lime juice, white vinegar, salt and sugar into the minced mixture.
Ginger and Spring Onion Sauce
- Mince the spring onion root (white part). Mix the minced spring onion, grinded ginger and salt.
- Heat the oil with pan until vapor. Pour the oil into the mixture and mix it well
