eastcoastlife: Hainanese Chicken Rice Balls 杯贡

A Hainanese elder came visiting with his two grandchildren and brought me a kampung (free range) chicken that he reared. Since they came all the way from the northern part of Singapore to visit us in the east, I invited them to stay for dinner.

I asked my son to bring them for a walk at the beach (East Coast Park) and have some refreshments at a fast food restaurant while I cooked dinner.

I decided to cook Hainanese chicken rice with the kampung chicken. Remembering the chicken rice balls I ate one week ago, I couldn't wait to try my hands making them for the kids. It would be fun eating these traditional rice balls. But moulding the rice balls was quite tricky, the steaming hot rice was almost too hot for me to handle. Glad they turned out well. The kids just went bonkers for the chicken rice balls, haha....

Cooked the Hainanese Chap Chye (Hainanese Mixed Vegetable Stew) again because my family members didn't have enough of it the last time. The elders enjoyed this dinner very much. *happy*

My hubby was initially sceptical that I could pull this off. The elders' praises and empty bowls are testament to my cooking skills. A Teochew cooking authentic and delicious Hainanese dishes. Yes!!!

Cooking Hainanese Chicken

Ingredients 食材：
2 kg chicken 鸡
ginger 姜
spring onion 葱
garlic 蒜
pandan leaves 香兰叶
salt 盐

pepper 胡椒粉

Method 做法：
1. Clean and wash the chicken. Remove and keep the chicken fat for cooking rice.
把鸡洗干净，把鸡油切出备用（鸡油煮饭）。

2. Rub salt and pepper inside and on the outside of the chicken. Put garlic, ginger, spring onion and pandan leaves into the cavity of the chicken. Leave for 30 minutes.
盐和胡椒粉搽在鸡内外，少许姜、葱、蒜和香兰叶塞进鸡腹中, 腌30分钟。

3. (Cooking time depends on size of your chicken) Boil water in a big pot, hold marinated chicken by the neck while immersing its body in the hot water. Lower heat and cooked for 10 minutes before turning off the fire. Cover the pot with a lid and wait out until water cools down.

(时间视鸡的大小来决定) 水煮滚，把整只鸡放入沸水中, 再用炆火煮10分钟左右。关火, 盖上锅盖待水自然冷。

4. Poke a chopstick into one of the drumsticks to see if the meat is cooked. Wash the chicken under running tap.
用筷子插入鸡腿確保没有血水流出來, 看是否熟。鸡用冷水先洗一洗。

5. Place the chicken in a bowl of icy cold water for 15 minutes. This process keeps the chicken flesh tender and a layer of jelly will form between the chicken skin and meat
把鸡放入冰水中浸15分钟。

6. Remove chicken and wipe dry, cut into pieces and serve with condiments and rice.

Cooking Hainanese Chicken Rice

Method 做法：
1. Wash the rice. Heat wok and put in some butter, fry garlic, ginger and pandan leaves first until fragrant before adding the rice grains to fry. Pour the fried ingredients into a cooker, add in suitable amount of chicken stock to cook.
先洗米, 再把姜、蒜和香兰叶用牛油炒香后再加入生米一起炒。把饭倒进电饭锅里，加入适量鸡汤把饭煮熟。

Chilli Sauce 辣椒醬
(依个人口味做调整)

食材：
chilli 辣椒
chilli padi 小辣椒
garlic 蒜头
shallots 葱头
ginger 姜 (切片)

Seasoning 调味 :
lime juice 酸柑汁
salt 盐
chicken stock 鸡汤

Method 做法：

Blend the chillies, garlic, shallot and ginger into a paste. Season with salt, chicken stock and lime juice.

把辣椒、蒜、葱、姜, 搅成泥或放进石臼里舂烂。在搅匀的辣椒里放入适量的盐, 倒入鸡汤. 最后放入酸柑汁。

3 essential condiments to go with Hainanese Chicken Rice - chilli sauce, ginger sauce and dark soy sauce.
蒜蓉辣椒酱、姜茸及黑酱油这三小碟是吃海南鸡饭时的配酱。

长辈带了两个孙子来我们家坐坐, 还客气的送来自己养的甘榜鸡。我留他们吃晚饭, 煮了杯贡 (海南鸡饭团) 还煮海南杂菜, 大人小孩们都乐开怀, 家里顿时热闹起来。这餐饭, 几位老人家吃得最开心。