How to Prepare Hainanese Chicken Rice in Malaysia
Chicken rice is a popular meal throughout Malaysia. It’s often found at hawker stalls and in the best restaurants across the country. Served with cucumber garnishes and a dipping sauce, it’s simple yet flavourful and filling.
What’s more, the dish can be customized by adding different spices and condiments. It’s also a great way to learn about the diverse culinary traditions of Malaysia.
Hainanese Chicken Rice is a popular Singaporean and Malaysian dish that hails from the tropical island of Hainan in southern China. The dish was adapted by early Chinese immigrants and is today one of the most popular dishes in Southeast Asia.
Unlike other variations of the dish, Hainanese chicken is cooked and served with rice, rather than being poached and sliced as in most other versions. It can be served in different forms, including roasted or steamed options.
It is a dish that is incredibly easy to prepare but can be difficult to get right, so it’s important to follow the recipe closely. To achieve this, you’ll need to make sure that the chicken is properly seasoned and cooked, and that the rice is prepared correctly.
To begin, prepare the chicken by marinating it in MAGGI(r) Homemade Chicken Stock Cubes for at least an hour. You can steam it instead of boiling it to save time and ensure that the meat is tender.
Once the chicken is cooled, you’ll need to prepare the fragrant rice by frying the shallots and garlic until golden brown. Add the rice and stir well to combine them.
Then, you’ll need to prepare the dipping sauce by blending chilies, garlic, and ginger along with some chicken broth. You can season the dipping sauce with lime juice, sugar, and MAGGI(r) CukupRasa(tm) to taste.
After the dipping sauce is ready, you can serve it with rice. You can garnish the dish with sliced cucumbers and chopped chicken as well.
If you’re interested in learning how to cook the perfect plate of Hainanese chicken rice, be sure to check out my sister Christina Arokiasamy’s book The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking! It contains a variety of traditional and modern recipes that showcase Malaysia’s unique flavors.
You’ll want to try out these recipes the next time you’re craving a plate of Hainanese chicken rice!
Ingredients: 1. Chicken (1.5 lbs.); 2. Chicken fat; 3. Garlic; 4. Ginger; 5. Peanut oil; 6. MAGGI(r) Dark Soy Sauce; 7. MAGGI(r) Light Soy Sauce; 8. MAGGI(r) Sesame Oil; 9. MAGGI(r) Fish Sauce; and 10. Fresh cilantro or Thai basil.
The chicken needs to be trimmed out of any excess skin and fat surrounding the chicken cavity. It’s important to trim this fat because it can overpower the flavor of the dish, and it’s also necessary for the rice to cook properly.
Alternatively, you can roast the chicken, which is more common in Malay cuisine. This will give you a juicier and more flavourful chicken, but it’ll take longer to prepare.