Must-Try Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 stalk spring onion , Optional
• 3 cloves garlic , crushed, or to taste
• 1 piece fresh ginger root , 1 inch
• water to cover
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim chicken of all excess fat, reserving fat.

2. 2

   Place chicken, spring onion, 3 cloves crushed garlic, and one 1-inch piece ginger in a large pot. Pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, skimming any scum off the surface, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour.

3. 3

   Remove chicken from the pot, reserving broth. Rub chicken with salt. Chop into pieces and arrange on a serving plate.

4. 4

   Combine soy sauce, 3 tablespoons reserved chicken broth, 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar, garlic oil, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Drizzle over chicken pieces.

5. 5

   Melt reserved chicken fat in a large pot over medium heat. Add rice, 3 cloves minced garlic, crushed 1-inch piece ginger, and salt; cook and stir until rice is glossy and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour enough reserved chicken broth into the pot to cover rice by half an inch. Cover; bring to a boil. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

7. 7

   Combine red chile peppers, juice of 2 limes, 2 tablespoons reserved chicken broth, 3 cloves garlic, one 1/2-inch piece ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 pinch sugar in a blender; blend until garlic chile dip is smooth.

8. 8

   Combine juice of 2 limes, 2 tablespoons reserved chicken broth, 3 cloves garlic, one 1-inch piece ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender; blend until ginger dip is smooth.

9. 9

   Serve garlic chile and ginger dips alongside chicken and rice.