Hainanese Chicken Rice

Rub the chicken (1 whole bird, about 1.8 kg) inside and out with coarse salt, let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly — this will leave the skin clean. Bring 3 L of water to a boil in a large pot, add 25 g of sliced ginger, 2 whole scallion stalks, and 2 crushed garlic cloves.

Gently lower the chicken into the boiling water breast-side up, bring back to a boil, and skim off the foam. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the hot broth, covered, for another 15 minutes — it will finish cooking gently without active boiling. Immediately transfer the chicken to a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes: this stops the cooking and gives the skin a smooth, taut texture. Strain the broth and set it aside — you'll need it for the rice and sauces.

Pat the chicken dry. Skim 2-3 tbsp of chicken fat from the surface of the broth (or use 1 tbsp of oil if there isn't much fat), heat it in a pan, add 3 minced garlic cloves and 15 g of grated ginger, and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add rinsed jasmine rice (350 g) and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the grains turn glossy and translucent.

Transfer the rice to a pot, pour in 500 ml of hot broth, and season with salt to taste. Cook covered over low heat for 15 minutes, then let it rest off the heat for another 10 minutes — the rice should turn out fluffy and fragrant.

Make the chili sauce: in a blender, combine 3 red hot chili peppers, 2 garlic cloves, 20 g of ginger, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add 3-4 tbsp of hot broth and blend until you get a thick sauce.

Make the ginger sauce: finely chop 40 g of ginger and 2 garlic cloves. Heat 3 tbsp of oil until lightly smoking and pour it over the ginger-garlic mixture so it sizzles and releases its aroma. Season with salt to taste.

Make the soy dressing: mix 2 tbsp of light soy sauce, 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce, 1 tsp of sesame oil, and 2 tbsp of hot broth.

Cut the cooled chicken into serving pieces and arrange on a plate with cucumber slices (1 whole cucumber) and the remaining scallions. Serve with the fluffy rice, hot broth in separate bowls, and the three sauces on the side.