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Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin
most commonly associated with Singaporean cuisine or Malaysian cuisine. |
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It is also commonly sold in
neighbouring Thailand, and found in Hainan, China itself. Hainanese chicken rice is often considered as the "national dish" of
Singapore. |
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Left: Hainanese chicken rice. |
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 is not used for rice preparation, which instead
involves chicken stock created specifically for that purpose, producing an oily,
flavourful rice sometimes known as "oily rice" with Southeast Asian pandan
leaves added sometimes. 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 ("white 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. It is common in Hainan to also offer a third sauce involving oyster
sauce mixed with garlic, while dark soy 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.
Sometimes a boneless version of chicken rice is served in Singapore or Malaysia.
