I feel a massive sense of accomplishment when I am winning at travelling. Choosing the right line to stand in, ordering a beer in another language, standing to the left of the escalator when all those tourists stand of the right. I hate those people. Those people always walk really slowly and talk really loudly. I on the other hand, am a 10/10 tourist because I pretend to be local. That was until I moved to Asia.
Acting like I know what everything means on the menu and then tongue comes to your table, crossing the road like a pro and causing a ruckus along the way because I didn’t see the millionth motorbike, using only my right hand when eating Indian food to then be shut down because I am using a fork. The list goes on. If I only master one thing while living in Malaysia it’s to cook like a local and I gotta say even those people would lose their shit over how good this is!
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 chicken breast
2 large knobs of ginger, roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
Bunch of coriander
2tbs light soy sauce
3tbs sesame oil
1L chicken stock
3 stalks pandan leaves
2 cup jasmin rice
1 Japanese cucumber
Chilli sauce and sweet soy sauce to serve
Method
Start by making the stock. In a large pot bring the chicken stock, ginger, garlic, coriander root and some leaves, spring onion, sesame oil and soy sauce to the boil – note – keep 1tbs of chopped garlic and 1 tsp of the chopped ginger aside for the rice. Once your stock is boiling reduce to a light summer, pop the lid on and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the chicken breast to the stock. Once the stock is back to a light simmer poach for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and bring the stock to the boil.
In a rice cooker combine 2 cups of the stock, the remaining garlic and ginger and jasmine rice. Tie the pandan leaves into a knot and add to the rice.
Serve with the cucumber, left over coriander leaves, chilli sauce and sweet soy sauce and drizzle the remaining stock over your rice and chicken. Eat up!
