Hainan – Style Chicken Rice

Courtesy of Georgina Tang

 

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ kg fresh chicken
  • 2 green onions
  • 4 slices fresh ginger
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups (400 gr) short-grain white rice
  • 2 3/4 cups (645 ml) water
  • 2 tbsp. rendered chicken fat *
  • 625gr kale or other Chinese green vegetables
  • 1 1/2 tsp. “ennea” premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons ginger dip (see below)
  • salt
  • light soy sauce

Instructions

Rinse the chicken and wipe dry.
Place in a saucepan with water to just cover.
Trim the green onions and add to the pan with the ginger and salt.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low and simmer for about 45 minutes until the chicken is completely tender.
Lift out and set aside until chicken skin is dry to touch.
Meanwhile, combine the rice and water in a pan, cover and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to very low and cook for 15-18 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy.
When almost ready, stir in the rendered chicken fat.
Trim the kale and add to the stock. Simmer for about 8 minutes until very tender.
Lift out and drain well.
Brush the chicken skin with “ennea” premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then place chicken on a cutting board and use a sharp cleaver to cut in half, cutting through on each side of the backbone. Discard the backbone.
Spread the chicken open and cut through the breast to divide in half,  then remove the wings and drumsticks.
Diagonally slice the two sides of the chicken, cutting straight through the bones.
Arrange the chicken on a serving plate, reassembling it approximately in its original shape.
Surround with the drained vegetables, also brushed with a little sesame oil.
Serve the chicken and vegetables at room temperature with the rice and prepared dip.
Boil up the stock in which the chicken and vegetables were cooked.
Add salt and soy sauce to taste and serve in small bowls as a soup.

* Remove the deposits of fat from inside the cavity of the chicken.
Place in a small saucepan and cook gently/ partially covered, until the fat has been drawn