Hoi An-style Chicken Rice

 

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 chicken whole legs

1 litre water

2 tsp. chicken stock granules (to taste)

1 medium onion (skin-on, halved)

2 thick slices ginger (peeled)

1/2 tsp. ground tumeric

1 cup rice (uncooked) - washed and drained

Crispy fried shallots (to serve) - optional

Nuoc cham dressing:

3 tbsp. fish sauce

2 tbsp. white vinegar

3 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 red chili (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)

Methods:

1. Remove the excess chicken fat from the chicken, dice into small pieces.  Place into a wok over medium heat and gently cook until you get 2 tablespoons of fat and the chicken trimmings are golden brown. 
2. Place chicken legs into a pot, cover with water and add 2 teaspoon of chicken stock granules.  Add the onion, ginger and ground tumeric.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Then, reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken are cooked through.
3. Remove and discard the golden chicken trimmings and excess oil from the wok in (1).  We only need 2 tablespoons.  Add the rice to the chicken fat and 1/2 tsp. chicken stock granules, stir to get all the lovely chicken flavours over the rice. Remove the rice into the inner pot of the rice cooker, ladle 2 1/4 cups of chicken stock that your chicken is cooking in (2), give it a stir, and place into the rice cooker and start cooking.
4. Once the rice cooker have finished cooking and switch to 'keep warm', let the rice sit in the rice cooker for at least 15 minutes.
5. To make the nuoc cham dressing, whisk the ingredients together until the sugar dissolves.  Set aside for later.  I keep leftover nuoc cham dressing in airtight glass bottles and keep them in the fridge.
6. Remove chicken legs from the broth and set aside.  Taste and season the broth with chicken stock granules, if needed.
7. To serve, puff up rice with a rice spatula, spoon onto separate plates.  Top with a chicken leg; serve with chicken soup, nuoc cham dressing and any sides of your preference.  Since I have carrot & radish kimchi which I made recently, I serve it together with this yummylicious chicken rice.  Consider it as a Fusion between Vietnamese and Korean ~ Thumbs Up! ~

This recipe is adapted from 'Marion's Kitchen' with adjustments to suit my cooking preferences.

For those who are interested in this carrot & radish kimchi, I will upload in my blog, hopefully, soonest.  Thank you all for your patience ~ smile ~