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Hainanese Chicken

CalendarIcon April 01 2011 CalendarIcon Author: allergickidmom
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Hainanese Chicken and Rice Hainanese chicken rice is Singapore's national dish. It was originated from the beautiful tropical Hainan island of China and was later adapted by overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.


I had my first Hainanese chicken rice twenty years ago at the Chinese restaurant named the "Summer Palace" in China World Hotel, one of the most prestigious hotels in Beijing at the time. When it was served, I never thought the plain looking chicken rice had so much flavor in it. Many years later, I replicated the version I had twenty years ago. So here it is. Enjoy!
Ingredients
   
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1/2 cup sea salt
  • 5 tbsp grape seed oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 shallot onions, minced
  • 5 slices of ginger
  • 2 cups of sushi rice, rinsed
  • 2 green onions
Directions
        
  1. Rub the chicken with sea salt to remove the dead skin. This process will guarantee you will have a clear chicken stock. Once done, you will get a fat bird with glistening skin. Au revoir, wrinkles.
  2. Put chicken in a large stock pot and fill the pot with water to cover the chicken. Add remaining sea salt and 3 slices of ginger in the pot. Boil over high heat.
  3. While the chicken is being boiled, add 3 tbsp grape seed oil in a hot wok. Once the oil is hot, drop in the minced shallot onions and garlic.
  4. Stir in the rinsed sushi rice once the aroma of the onions and garlic is released. Constantly stir the rice until it becomes translucent.
  5. Reduce to low heat once the water is boiled. Remove any scum as necessary. There should be minimum amount of scum in the chicken stock as the sea salt removed most of the dead skin to result in a very clear stock.
  6. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker. Add 3 cups of chicken stock from the stock pot and cook the rice according to the rice cooker instruction.
  7. Simmer the chicken for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover the chicken with a lid. Let the chicken enjoy a steam bath inside the pot for about another 20 minutes.
  8. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl filled with ice water. The cold water will make the chicken meat become even more moist and tender. Cool chicken completely.
  9. Once the chicken is being cooled, add the remaining grape seed oil in a hot wok. Use a food processor to chop the green onions and ginger to a fine paste. Then add the minced green onions and ginger to the oil. Once the aroma is released, turn off the heat. Season with salt. Transfer the sauce to a small serving dish.
  10. Pat dry chicken with paper towel and cut into pieces.
  11. Serve the chicken with the cooked rice, ginger onion sauce and chili garlic sauce. You can buy garlic chili sauce from an Asian grocery store. I use the Huy Fong Chili Garlic sauce which can be found here. The rice is fragrant, oily and salty. It absorbs all the flavors from the oil, chicken stock, shallot and garlic. The chicken is very tender and juicy. And of course, when adding the ginger onion sauce, chili garlic sauce to the rice, I can not think of a better combination.

 

Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the ingredients used in the recipes and product information included on this website, manufacturers may alter their product ingredients at any time without notice. It is possible the actual product packaging and labeling may contain more or different ingredients than what are shown on this website. We can not guarantee 100% the accuracy of product ingredients. Please always read product labels and allergy warnings carefully before purchase or consumption. If you are concerned about an ingredient or potential cross-contact, please consult the manufacturer directly. Information content provided by this website is for reference only and is not intended for providing medical advice. Please contact medical professionals immediately if you experience an allergic reaction after consumption of a product referenced on this website. This website can not assume any liability or misstatement about theses products.


 

Drunken Noodles with Chicken

CalendarIcon October 07 2010 CalendarIcon Author: allergickidmom
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drunken noodles It can be difficult sometimes to cook Asian cuisines if you are allergic to soy, wheat, fish and shell fish. However, if you occasionally don't mind the preservatives used in Ji Zhi which I mentioned in my Steamed Dumplings recipe, you can cook most Asian food without worrying about having a reaction to soy sauce. Here is a healthier version of Drunken Noodles recipe that I created. By adding a lot of fresh vegetables, the fibers in the veggies provide a nice balance between the unhealthy simple carbohydrates in the rice noodles and the complex carbohydrates in the veggies. For those people who need to watch their carbs intake, you don't have to be too hard on yourself. You can enjoy a little of this Southeast Asian classic dish from time to time. For those who have food allergies, this dish does not have soy sauce, wheat, egg, fish, shell fish, peanut, tree nut and dairy. You can also substitute the chicken with beef, tofu or shrimp if you are not allergic to them. Enjoy!

 
Ingredients
   
  • 1 package of 16 oz. Sha Ho Fen (I use Nature's Soy brand.  Caution: This brand contains soybean oil.  You can find other brands in Asian grocery stores.  If you can't find the fresh noodles, you can buy the dry rice noodles from Asian grocery stores. Soak the noodles in accordance with the direction.)
  • 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced into 2" pieces
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 2 cups flowering garlic chives, cut into about 2" length
  • 1/2 cup orange pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
  • 1 tbsp of thinly sliced fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp chopped scallion 
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp tapioca starch
  • 2 tbsp cooking wine
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil (You can substitute with regular oil)
  • 2 tbsp of Ji Zhi or soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp grape seed oil
  • 2 Thai chilli peppers, chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Thail Basil leaves (Thai basil has a flavor of anise.  It brings out the spiciness of the chilli peppers.  However, if you can't find Thail basil, you can use sweet basil instead.)

Salt to taste

 
Directions
        
  1. Marinate the thinly sliced chicken with cooking wine, tapioca starch, sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Mix well and let it stand for about 20 minutes while preparing for the vegetables. The use of tapioca starch, cooking wine and oil to marinate the chicken is to ensure the tenderness of the chicken.
  2. Heat the wok with 1 tbsp grapeseed oil. While the wok is being heated, remove the noodles from its package and put the noodles in a covered dish.  Microwave for 30 seconds and turn the noodles.  Then microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not overheat the noodles.  While the noodles are warm, loosen them and cut into 1" wide strips.
  3. When the wok becomes smoking hot, add chopped scallion, ginger and chilli pepper.  Once the aroma is released, add the sliced onion and stir for about 30 seconds. 
  4. Add orange pepper and broccoli florets and cook for 1 minute. Then add garlic chive and cook for another minute.  
  5. Add the rice noodles and stir for 1 minute. 
  6. Add the Thai Basil, Mung Bean Sprouts and minced garlic to the noodle mixture.  Stir for 30 seconds. Then add Ji Zhi.
  7. While cooking the veggies, seperately heat a non-stick pan or wok.  Add the remaining grapeseed oil to the wok.  Once the pan or the wok is hot, add the marinated chicken into the pan.  Use a chopstick to scramble / break apart the chicken as the chicken slices might stick to each other due to the thickening property of tapioca starch.  Turn the chicken when the bottom is golden brown.   Do not overcook.
  8. Once the chicken is cooked, add the chicken to the mixed veggies and noodles.  Season with salt.  Toss the chicken and veggies to ensure they are nicely coated with Ji zhi, and serve.

 

Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the ingredients used in the recipes and product information included on this website, manufacturers may alter their product ingredients at any time without notice. It is possible the actual product packaging and labeling may contain more or different ingredients than what are shown on this website. We can not guarantee 100% the accuracy of product ingredients. Please always read product labels and allergy warnings carefully before purchase or consumption. If you are concerned about an ingredient or potential cross-contact, please consult the manufacturer directly. Information content provided by this website is for reference only and is not intended for providing medical advice. Please contact medical professionals immediately if you experience an allergic reaction after consumption of a product referenced on this website. This website can not assume any liability or misstatement about theses products.