One of the first women chef’s I fell in love with (hook, line and sinker, if you may) was Kylie Kwong, the Australian-Chinese chef. I have followed her for years now and much of my Southeast Asian and Chiniese flavours are influenced by her. One of her recipes that stuck to me is of stock poached chicken, her take on the Chinese Hiananese Chicken Rice.

Years later in Bangkok and in Singapore, I searched and sought the same. The Thai Khao Mun Gai on streets of Bangkok is closer to the Chinese version, though served with spicier sauces on the sauce, true to Thai street food. I would give a miss to the cold Singapore street version, which actually is a take on the Chinese drunken chicken. I can’t say I am fan of cold, gelatinous chicken!

Today as I wanted something nutritious, comforting and protein rich, to help Om cope with all his medicines and pain, I fell back on Hiananese Chicken Rice. I cooked it true to how it is done. Slow poaching a whole organic chicken, and letting the chicken cool in the stock before straining it. What helped was an excellent quality organic whole chicken from Jalongi. The rice was then cooked with aromatics in the strained stock, and served with my homemade dipping sauces, a fresh salad and a bowl of stock on the side.

The one dipping sauce that I learnt from Kylie Kwong is the green corainder, spring onion and ginger sauce. Though not a traditional accompaniment of Hiananese Chicken Rice, it just zests it up and is perfect with this or even dumplings.

The remaining stock will go into making a wholesome chicken soup for the soul.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

For the Chicken
1 whole chicken: 1 kg (get an organic, free range chicken and it does make a difference), Sea salt or kosher salt for cleaning the chicken: 1/4 cup; Fresh ginger: , 2 inch, peeled and roughly sliced; Garlic: 2 fat cloves; Spring onion: 2, cut into 1 inch sections (both green and white parts); Chinese Shaoxing wine: 1 cup; Sesame oil: 1 tablespoon

For the Rice
Refined vegetable oil: 1 tablespoon; Garlic: 2 medium cloves, finely minced; Shallot: 1, minced, Ginger: 1 inch, finely minced; Long grained rice: 1 cup; Reserved chicken poaching stock: 2 cups; Sesame oil: 2 teaspoons; Salt: to taste

For the Accompaniments –

Chilli Sauce
Lime juice: 1 tablespoon; Reserved chicken poaching stock: 2 tablespoons; Palm sugar: 2 teaspoons; Garlic: 1 fat clove; Thai Bird’s eye chilli: 1; Regular fresh red chilli: 4 or Sriracha chili sauce: 2 tablespoons; Chinese Shaoxing wine: 1 tablespoon

Chilli Garlic Oil
Refined vegetable oil: 4 tablespoon; Sesame oil: 1 tablespoon; Fresh grated ginger: 1 tablespoon; Garlic: 2 fat cloves, finely minced, Dry red chilli: 2, broken

Kylie Kwong Ginger, Coriander, Spring onion Sauce
Ginger: 2 inches, roughly chopped; Spring onions, mostly dark green ends: 4 stalks, finely sliced, Coriander, stems and roots only: 1 bunch, finely sliced; Sea salt flakes: 1/2 teaspoon; pinch of white pepper; Refined vegetable oil or sesame oil: ¾ cup

For the Salad
A bunch each of coriander leaf, and stem: torn roughly; a bunch of spring onion green and white: julliened; Thai Bird’s eye chilli: 1, seeds discarded and finely chopped; White wine vinegar or rice vinegar: 1 teaspoon; Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon; Salt and white pepper: to taste

Cook the Chicken
1. Clean the chicken by exfoliating with kosher or coarse sea salt. Rinse chicken well, inside and outside under cold water.

2. Trim away excess fat from inside and outside cavity, but keep neck, parson’s nose and winglets intact.

3. Put 4 litres of cold water into a heavy stockpot or Dutchoven with rest of the ingredients, except chicken and sesame oil, it should be enough water to fully submerge the chicken. Lower chicken, breast-side down into the water. Put a heavy plate on top of the bird so that it stays submerged. Poach chicken gently in the lowest heat for 30 minutes. There should be no more than an occasional ripple breaking the surface; adjust the temperature, if necessary, to ensure stock does not reach simmering point. Skim all impurities that float to the surface.

3. Remove stockpot/Dutchoven from the stove and allow chicken to steep in the stock at room temperature till the stock and chicken are cool, to complete the cooking process. Using tongs, gently remove chicken from the stock, being careful not to tear the breast skin. Place chicken on a tray to drain and allow to cool. Rub the sesame oil all over the chicken to prevent the chicken from drying out.

4..Discard the garlic, ginger and green onion. Season the soup with salt to taste.

Cook Rice
1. Cleaning the rice in enough water, repeat 3 more times, until water is less cloudy.

2. In a wok, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat; add the ginger, shallots and the garlic and fry till the garlic is golden and crispy.

3. Add the drained rice and stir to coat with oil and rice is tad toasty.

4. Add 2 cups of the reserved poaching stock and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit with lid still on for 5-7minutes more.

5. Add the sesame oil, fluff well.

Make the Accompaniments

Chili sauce
1. Blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth.

2. Transfer to a small pan and bring it to one quick rolling boil.

3. Cool and serve.

Chilli oil

1. Heat the oil with all the other ingredients over very low heat till the garlic is dark and crispy.

2. Cool and serve.
Ginger, Coriander, Spring onion Sauce

1. Pound ginger, spring onion, coriander and salt to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, add pepper and mix well.

2. Heat peanut oil in a small frying pan until moderately hot. Carefully pour over the paste, scalding the ingredients to release their fragrance and aroma. Mix well and serve.

Salad: Toss all the ingredients together.