Instructions

• Set out your ingredients. Most of what you need can easily be bought at the local supermarket. 1 ½ cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of long grain rice, 1 tablespoon of finely diced chives, ½ cup of finely chopped spring onion, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger, 1 cup of cooked chicken cut into small pieces, 4 tablespoons of pure olive oil, 2 long, dried red chillies chopped (optional), 1 teaspoon of soy sauce (optional) and salt to taste.
• Keep the chicken broth ready before beginning on the rice dish. Cook 1 pound of chicken with 2 ½ cups of water, ¼ cup of chopped white onion, a little salt and 3-4 peppercorns.
• Once done, separate the cooked chicken and the broth. Strain the broth and reserve for later. Cut the chicken into small pieces and set aside. Wash the rice well. Drain and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the ginger, garlic and dried red chillies (if you are using them) till fragrant.
• Next, sauté the spring onions for a minute or two and then, tip in the chives. Add the washed and drained rice and fry for a few minutes. This trick helps release the flavor of the rice. If you are using soy sauce, stir it in. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to dislodge any grains of rice that might be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Tip in the chicken pieces and stir for a minute. Add salt to taste and mix well so that it spreads evenly.
• Turn up the heat and bring the broth and rice to boil. Once it reaches boiling point, turn down the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the rice to cook slowly for 10-15 minutes. Don’t lift the lid or stir at any point. Take a few grains of rice in a spoon and test to see if it is cooked through.
• Turn off the heat and set the pot down with the lid still shut tight. One pot of piping hot Hainanese chicken and rice is ready for the dinner table. Serve with a hot chilli sauce or Oriental chicken gravy, accompanied by a crunchy carrot and cucumber salad.