Khao Man Gai (Hainanese Chicken Rice)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Whole chicken (about 1.5 kg/3 1/3 lb) — 1
- Thumbs ginger, sliced, divided — 3
- Garlic cloves, divided — 6
- Spring onions, plus extra to serve — 2
- Water — 2 L (8 cups)
- Jasmine rice, rinsed — 400 g (2 cups)
- Sesame oil — 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce — 3 tbsp
- Black soy sauce (or dark soy sauce) — 3 tbsp
- Rice vinegar — 3 tbsp
- Red chillies, finely chopped — 3
- Sugar — 1 tbsp
- Cucumber slices and fresh coriander, to serve
Method
- Place the chicken in a large pot with 2 slices of ginger, 3 garlic cloves and the spring onions, and cover with the water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and poach for 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, skimming off any foam.
- Remove the chicken and plunge briefly into a bowl of ice water to firm the skin, then let cool slightly before carving into pieces. Reserve the poaching broth.
- Finely mince the remaining garlic and 1 thumb ginger. Heat the sesame oil in a small pan and fry them for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed rice to a rice cooker or pot with the fried garlic and ginger, and pour in enough of the poaching broth to cook the rice (following your rice cooker's usual ratio, or about 1:1.25 rice to broth for stovetop). Cook until tender.
- For the sauce, combine the soy sauce, black soy sauce, rice vinegar, chopped chillies, sugar and a little minced ginger and garlic in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Serve the sliced chicken over the fragrant rice, with cucumber slices, coriander, and the chilli-ginger sauce on the side.
Introduction: Khao man gai, Thailand's version of Hainanese chicken rice, poaches whole chicken gently until silky and
tender, then uses the flavourful poaching broth to cook fragrant rice.
Cultural Background: Khao man gai, Thailand's version of Hainanese chicken rice, poaches whole chicken gently until silky and
tender, then uses the flavourful poaching broth to cook fragrant rice. Served with a sharp, garlicky
chilli-ginger sauce, it's a simple, satisfying lunch found at food stalls across the country.
Tips: Plunging the poached chicken into ice water helps firm the skin and stops the cooking process, keeping the meat tender. Cooking the rice in the poaching broth, rather than plain water, is essential for the dish's signature flavour.
Variations: Serve with a small bowl of the reserved poaching broth as a light soup on the side. Add a spoonful of fermented soybean paste (taochiao) to the sauce for extra depth. This dish is defined by poached chicken and its broth; no authentic vegetarian version exists.
Storage: Refrigerate chicken, rice and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the rice with a splash of water in the microwave or on the stovetop; serve the chicken cold or gently
warmed.
FAQs:
Q: Why plunge the chicken into ice water?
A: It firms the skin to a pleasant, slightly springy texture and stops the meat from overcooking.
Q: What's black soy sauce?
A: A thicker, slightly sweeter and darker soy sauce used mainly for colour and depth; regular dark soy sauce is a reasonable substitute.
Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken?
A: Yes, bone-in thighs work well and will poach a little faster than a whole bird.
- Whole chicken (about 1.5 kg/3 1/3 lb) — 1
- Thumbs ginger, sliced, divided — 3
- Garlic cloves, divided — 6
- Spring onions, plus extra to serve — 2
- Water — 2 L (8 cups)
- Jasmine rice, rinsed — 400 g (2 cups)
- Sesame oil — 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce — 3 tbsp
- Black soy sauce (or dark soy sauce) — 3 tbsp
- Rice vinegar — 3 tbsp
- Red chillies, finely chopped — 3
- Sugar — 1 tbsp
- Cucumber slices and fresh coriander, to serve
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