Everything about Hainanese Chicken Rice totally explained
Hainanese chicken rice is a
Chinese rice dish most commonly associated with
Malaysian cuisine or
Singaporean cuisine, although it's also commonly sold in neighbouring
Thailand, and found in
Hainan,
China itself. So-called due to its roots in Hainan cuisine and its adoption by the Hainanese
overseas Chinese population in the
Nanyang area, the version found in Malaysia/Singapore combines elements of
Hainanese and
Cantonese cuisines along with culinary preferences in the
Southeast Asian region. The Hainanese chicken rice originated from China, and is Chinese in origin.
Preparation
The
chicken is prepared in traditional Hainanese methods which involve the boiling of the entire chicken in a pork and chicken bone stock, reusing the broth over and over and only topping it up with water when needed, in accordance with the Chinese preferences for creating "master stocks". This stock isn't used for rice preparation, which instead involves chicken stock created specifically for that purpose, producing an oily, flavourful rice sometimes known as "oily rice". Some cooks may add
coconut milk to the rice, reminiscent of the Malay dish
nasi lemak.
The Hainanese prefer using older, plumper birds to maximise the amount of oil extracted, thus creating a more flavourful dish. Over time, however, the dish began adopting elements of Cantonese cooking styles, such as using younger birds to produce more tender meats. In another variation, the bird is dipped in ice after cooking to produce a jelly-like skin finishing, commonly referred to as
Báijī (白鸡) for "white chicken", in contrast to the more traditional
Lǔjī (卤鸡, stock chicken) or
Shāojī (烧鸡, roasted chicken). In Singapore, where modernity has made the maintenance and long-term storage of master stocks unfeasible, the meat is cooked by boiling in water flavoured with garlic and ginger instead, with the resulting stock used in the preparation of the rice and also in the accompanying soup.
The dish is usually served with several dips, including
chilli sauce and pounded
ginger. While it's common in Hainan to also offer a third sauce involving
oyster sauce mixed with garlic, dark
soya sauce is more commonly served in Malaysia/Singapore. The Malaysian/Singaporean version of the chili are also much hotter, reflecting its Southeast Asian influences, and may also involve a mixture of chilli with
garlic. Most dishes are served with sliced
cucumber, reflecting the Chinese preference for introducing some variety for a more complete meal.
Hainanese chicken rice in Malaysia
The
Ipoh chicken rice, from the Malaysian town of
Ipoh, is normally served with
bean sprouts. This is a very popular version of the rice and a lot of other chicken rice stall have slowly followed it by adding in bean sprouts along with the chicken. The chicken rice dish can also be further accompanied with 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.
In
Malacca, the chicken is served with rice balls rather than a bowl of rice, commonly known as
Chicken rice balls. The 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 labourers working on plantations to transport from home. Today, rice balls are appreciated more as a novelty than anything else.
Chicken rice in Malaysia is available in Chinese coffee shops, but also in roadside stalls and chain restaurants such as
The Chicken Rice Shop and Nam Heong. Most chicken rice vendors in the country also offer an alternative of roasted chicken instead of the regular, steamed one. Other variations include a
BBQ version or also a
honey-roasted choice.
You can locate a chicken rice hawker in almost any coffee shop. For example, located near the National Stadium (Bukit Jalil) are tens of chicken rice hawkers. According to some, the current most popular hawker nearby is in the Coffee Shop named 'Good Tea'
Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore
The prevalence of stalls selling Hainanese chicken rice as their primary specialty in
Singapore underscores its unrivalled popularity amongst Singaporeans and overseas visitors. Hainanese chicken rice is considered as one of the "
national dishes" of
Singapore, and is often served at international
expositions and global events abroad, and in Singapore-run restaurants overseas. Hainanese chicken rice is also one of the few local dishes served on
Singapore Airlines flights, and this marks the dish as an important
Singaporean cuisine.
In Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is served at stalls and
food courts. 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,
Doo Mas which have many outlets island wide. The price range is around
S$2-4 (the latter if the dish includes a
drumstick). Some stalls serve extras such as a hard boiled egg, chicken liver, Western firm
tofu and
kailan as side dishes, each dish usually costing around
S$0.50 to
S$1.50. Some may serve set meals which include these side dishes.
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.
One of the more renowned high-end Hainanese chicken rice is served at a
coffee house called "
Chatterbox" at the luxurious
Meritus Mandarin Singapore in
Orchard Road for a price of
S$21.00. The dish has won many national cuisine awards for the hotel. It is served on a large, circular, wooden tray, on top of which is a plate of steamed or roast chicken
garnished with
cucumber,
tomatoes and
lettuce topped with light soy sauce, a bowl of rice and a bowl of chicken soup, and
condiments comprising chilli, dark
soy sauce and ginger sauce. The rice is prepared with
chicken stock as well as a special pack of garlic-based ingredients. The soy sauce is also specially prepared by the head chef and its
recipe is said to be a closely guarded secret. Other hotels in Singapore serve Hainanese chicken rice on a circular or rectangular wooden tray.
Canteen vendors in schools also sell chicken rice. However, it tends to be simpler in style, and comprises just sliced chicken with rice and soya sauce as a healthier choice.
Singapore offers other variations of this dish, which include having roasted instead of steamed chicken.
Recipe
Further Information
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