HAINAM CHICKEN RICE ©

Hainam Chicken Rice is a popular chicken rice dish in Kuching. It is prepared steam or boiled. One can find Chicken Rice stall at nearly every eating place (coffee shop as it is called in Malaysia) in Kuching. It is served with aromatic rice cooked with chicken stock and butter/margarine.

I am a Hainam descent. My father and grandparents (from Father's side) came from Hainam Island in China. He once said he doesn't know why the chicken rice dish in Malaysia is called Hainam Chicken Rice as the chicken rice dish in Hainam, China aren't spectacular. So I have yet to find the answer. It shouldn't mean that the group of Hainam descent are mostly in the eating business.  

Ingredients, Preparation and Cooking Steps for 4 

Prepare Spring chicken. Stuff pieces of ginger into chicken cavity.

Cook chicken in pot of boiling water at medium heat for one hour. Water must cover chicken. Turn chicken over after half an hour.

Check to see if inside of chicken is evenly cooked.

When chicken is cooked, dip chicken in pot of cold water or pot of ice. This is to make the chicken meat tender and separate the skin from the meat.

Chicken nicely cooked and done. Slice up chicken meat and serve.

Fry 2 tbs butter/margarine with sliced garlic.

Add 3 cups of washed rice grain into the pan and fry for one minute. 

Transfer over into electric rice cooker. Pour stock (from cooking the chicken) onto the rice grain. Add enough stock to cover the rice grain  (measure - about 1/2 inches above top level rice grain). Add 3 - 4 tbs chicken stock brand and 1/2 tbs pepper. Taste to flavour.

When rice is cooked, it should smell good and taste well. The aroma of the cooked chicken rice should fill up the entire house.