4th post-HaiNanese Chicken rice

Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated Singaporean cuisine, although it was found in Hainan, China itself.The version of Hainese Chicken Rice that found in Singapore combines elements of Hainanese and Cantonese cuisines along with culinary preferences in the Southeast Asian region. It's one of the most common food you can find in Singapore because within each coffeeshop in Singapore , you should be able to find it !

Preparation
The chicken is prepared in traditional Hainanese methods which involve the boiling of the entire chicken in a pork and chicken bone stock, reusing the broth over and over and only topping it up with water when needed, in accordance with the Chinese preferences for creating master stocks. This stock is not used for rice preparation, which instead involves chicken stock created specifically for that purpose, producing an oily, flavourful rice sometimes known as "oily rice" with Southeast Asian pandan leaves added sometimes.

The Hainanese prefer using older, plumper birds to maximise the amount of oil extracted, thus creating a more flavourful dish. Over time, however, the dish began adopting elements of Cantonese cooking styles, such as using younger birds to produce more tender meats. In another variation, the bird is dipped in ice after cooking to produce a jelly-like skin finishing, commonly referred to as Báijī (白鸡) for "white chicken", in contrast to the more traditional Lǔjī (卤鸡, stock chicken) or Shāojī (烧鸡, roasted chicken). In Singapore, where modernity has made the maintenance and long-term storage of master stocks unfeasible, the meat is cooked by boiling in water flavoured with garlic and ginger instead, with the resulting stock used in the preparation of the rice and also in the accompanying soup.

The dish is usually served with several dips, including chilli sauce and pounded ginger. It is common in Hainan to also offer a third sauce involving oyster sauce mixed with garlic, while dark soy sauce is more commonly served in Malaysia/Singapore. The Malaysian/Singaporean version of the chili are also much hotter, reflecting its Southeast Asian influences, and may also involve a mixture of chilli with garlic. Most dishes are served with sliced cucumber, reflecting the Chinese preference for introducing some variety for a more complete meal.


The Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice stall in the Maxwell Food Center is one of the popular outlets in Singapore selling chicken rice. In Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is served at stalls and food courts. There are Hainanese chicken rice stalls that have established franchise or branch outlets, and these include Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, Boon Tong Kee, Loy Kee and others which have many outlets island wide. The price range is around S$2-4 (the latter if the dish includes a drumstick). Some stalls serve extras such as a hard boiled egg, chicken liver, firm tofu and kailan as side dishes, each dish usually costing around S$0.50 to S$1.50. Some may serve set meals which include these side dishes.
Hainanese-owned coffee shops tend to serve a variety of Hainanese cuisine, with chicken rice being the main highlight. Other Hainanese dishes include pork chop, vegetables, fish, eggs and char siew. Most of these shops are air-conditioned, and are mainly concentrated at Purvis Street and Seah Street.
One of the more renowned high-end Hainanese chicken rice dishes can be found at the Chatterbox coffeehouse at the Meritus Mandarin Singapore in Orchard Road, and priced at S$21.00. This dish has won many national cuisine awards for the hotel. It is served on a large, circular, wooden tray, on top of which is a plate of steamed or roast chicken garnished with cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce topped with light soy sauce, a bowl of rice and a bowl of chicken soup, and condiments comprising chilli, dark soy sauce and ginger sauce. The rice is prepared with chicken stock as well as a special pack of garlic-based ingredients. The soy sauce is also specially prepared by the head chef and its recipe is said to be a closely guarded secret.