1
Prepare garlic and ginger. Take about 4 inches of ginger, scrape off the skin, and chop coarsely. Use approximately 12–14 cloves of garlic. Pound both the ginger and garlic coarsely. Divide the pounded ingredients into 8 small containers (4 for ginger, 4 for garlic) for easy use in stock, marinated chicken, rice, and sauces.
2
Marinate the chicken. Thoroughly pat dry a whole chicken weighing 1.5–1.8 kg. Rub it gently with fine salt (1–1.5 tsp) and white pepper. In a bowl, combine 2.5 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 1.5 tbsp honey, and 1.5 tbsp lime juice. Spread the sauce evenly over the chicken, then scatter the coarsely pounded garlic and ginger over it. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3
Prepare the rice. Measure 3 cups of jasmine rice (enough for 5–6 people). Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain thoroughly, as the rice will be stir-fried.
4
Prepare spring onions. Clean the spring onions and trim the roots. Cut the white root sections into approximately 2-inch pieces. Mince the white parts finely and set aside the green leaves for later use in the broth. The minced white parts will be used for the ginger spring onion sauce.
5
Make chicken stock. Heat a little oil in a large pot and stir-fry the coarsely pounded garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the chicken bones (or use pre-made chicken stock). Stir briefly, then add about 2 litres of water and 1 chicken stock cube. Add the reserved spring onion greens, a little white pepper, and salt. Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes or longer for deeper flavour. Strain when ready. This stock will be used for cooking rice, chilli sauce, and soy mixture.
6
Cook the rice. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a pot and add a little oil if desired. Stir-fry the second portion of coarsely pounded garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add 1 tied pandan leaf for fragrance. Add the drained rice and stir-fry briefly for fluffiness (this is key to getting fluffy rice at the end). Pour in the chicken stock using a ratio of 1 cup rice to 1.4 cups stock, adjusting as desired. Add 1 chicken stock cube and 1–1.5 tsp salt (adjust according to stock saltiness). Transfer to a rice cooker and cook normally. Once cooked, fluff gently with a rice paddle.
7
Roast the chicken. Place the marinated chicken on a baking tray. Roast at 180°C for 45–55 minutes. About 20 minutes into cooking, remove the chicken from the oven.
8
Make the glaze. Pour the marinade sauce used for the chicken into a pot. Cook until it boils and thickens slightly. Pour into a bowl to cool. This will serve as the glaze for the chicken.
9
Glaze the roasted chicken. Brush the cooled glaze all over the chicken. Return it to the oven and continue roasting until golden and glossy. Remove and brush with glaze every 10 minutes for 2–3 coats total. Once golden and glossy, remove from the oven. Finish with one final brush of a mixture of 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp oil for extra shine. Let rest before cutting to retain the juices.
10
Make chilli sauce. Coarsely chop red chillies and place in a food processor. Add the third portion of coarsely pounded garlic, ginger, 1–2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup lime juice. Add a little chicken stock. Blend to medium fineness. Pour into a bowl and briefly cook (safer to avoid stomach upset), or leave uncooked if preferred.
11
Make ginger spring onion sauce. In a bowl, add the previously minced spring onion white parts. Add 3–4 tbsp of finely grated ginger. Pour 1/4 cup of hot oil over it, which will sizzle. Add 1/2 tsp salt, and optionally 1/2 tsp sugar and seasoning powder if desired. For a looser sauce, add 1–2 tbsp chicken stock.
12
Make soy sauce mixture. Combine 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce, 1/2 cup chicken stock, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Simple and quick.
13
Plate the dish. Fluff the rice gently with a rice paddle and scoop into a plate. The rice should look soft, slightly sticky yet grain-separated. Cut the chicken into pieces (use a sharp knife to avoid bone shards) and place on the rice. Garnish with fresh salad leaves, tomato slices, and cucumber slices.
14
Serve and enjoy. Place a bowl of ginger spring onion sauce beside the chicken. Prepare a dish of soy sauce mixture. Serve alongside the chilli sauce. Accompany with a bowl of hot chicken broth. Optionally drizzle a little soy sauce mixture over the chicken before serving. Enjoy with fresh salad for perfect flavour balance.
PrimedTableBETA
