Hainanese Chicken Rice

This week's Singaporean theme is a little less labour intensive then usual. As my brother-in-law and his wife are away this week, I decided to take it a little easier since there were only four mouths to feed instead of the usual 6 or possibly more depending on if anyone else decided to pop by. Well...it's actually not that this dish is easy to make, it's just that there were less dishes to make. In any case, I think this really gave me and my loyal sous chef (mother-in-law) more time to really try to get this one right, and this is such a classic dish that I'm glad we spent the time to try to perfect it. Now we just have to figure out what we want to do with all the left over broth...

(adapted from Noodle Fever)
CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

1 Chicken
2" knob of Ginger (sliced)
3 stalks of Green Onions
5 tbsp. Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS

Fill a large pot or dutch oven 3/4 full with water and start heating up the water.

Wash chicken with cold water rinsing off any dirtiness, then dry off the chicken. Trim excess fat near the cavity opening and set aside for cooking the rice. Rub salt generously all over the chicken, both inside and out. Stuff the chicken with the ginger and green onions.

Place the chicken in the pot or dutch oven, then cover. Bring water to a boil, then lower the temperature and simmer for about 45 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken).

Using a large bowl or spare pot, fill half with cold water and half with ice. Remove your chicken from the pot and submerge into the ice bath. Cut up chicken once it is cooled and set aside on a platter.

RICE

INGREDIENTS

Reserved Chicken Fat
3 cups of Broth from poaching the chicken
2 cups Jasmine Rice
3 Shallots (minced)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)

In a wok, cook chicken fat over medium-high heat until fat is rendered. Discard the solid pieces. You should have nearly two tablespoons of fat, but if not, add a bit of vegetable oil.

Cook shallots and garlic in the chicken fat/vegetable oil mixture for a few minutes, until just starting to color.

Add rice and toast briefly (about a minute), then transfer to your rice cooker. Add the chicken broth from poaching the chicken and set rice cooker to cook rice as per regular.

CHILI SAUCE

6 Bird's Eye Chilies
1 shallot (minced)
2 cloves Garlic
2 tbsp. of Ginger
Juice from 2 Limes
2 tbsp. Sriracha Garlic Chili Sauce
2 tsp. Scallion oil (add hot oil to minced scallions)
2 tsp. Sugar
Pinch of salt

OTHER SAUCE/GARNISH

2 tsp. of Soy Sauce mixed with one tsp. of Sesame Oil

Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
Slice cucumbers thinly, then mix with one part coarse salt to three parts sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain and splash with rice vinegar.