Hainanese Chicken Rice

Yeah yeah, it's another of my blessed meals-in-a-bowl recipes (except this time, on a plate). Basically, this is steamed chicken, with steamed flavoured rice, with steamed greens (and maybe a spicy sauce on the side, if you're lucky). Sounds bland and boring maybe, but but BUT this is not only the ultimate slimmer's meal, it's also incredibly tasty, healthy and yummy. Be warned: it is addictive, and you will find yourself craving it at odd times (especially when you're sick - too sick to get up and cook, but well enough to want to eat. Grrr).

Serves 2 (or one with seconds, or thirds)

Ingredients:

Method:

If using leftover roast chicken, remove skin and bones and slice. If using raw chicken fillet (boneless and skinless), either steam or pan fry in a tablespoon of canola oil in a nonstick fying pan or wok. Remove from pan,, allow to cool, and slice. Arrange on a plate and put to one side.

Cook rice, in rice cooker or saucepan using the absorption method. Toward the end of cooking time, add chicken stock and stir through.

Chop pak choy crosswise into 2 inch chunks and steam for 2-3 minutes (use a bamboo steaming basket over rice when rice is nearly cooked). When cooked, arrange on a plate and put to one side.

Dipping Sauce:

While all the above is going on make the sauce ... mince chillies, garlic and ginger together, add coriander. In a nonstick frying pan, heat a little canola oil and stew - not fry so it'll burn - the spicy paste. When cooked down a little (add a tablespoon of water if the pan is getting too dry), add soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir until well combined and simmer gently for 5 minutes or more. When all other elements of the meal are almost ready, add chicken stock, raise heat and bubble for a couple more minutes. Pour thickened spicy sauce into a small bowl or container.

To serve:  (this is almost the most important part) give each diner a plate, a spoon and a fork. Place the plate of chicken, the plate of greens and the bowl of dipping sauce (with a serving spoon) on the table. Pile a couple of spoonfuls of flavoured rice on each person's plate, allow them to serve themselves with a few pieces of chicken and a few forkfuls of greens at a time, and spoon a little sauce over. Keep eating and adding a little more of this or that to the plate as you wish (and of course - take extra servings of rice!).

I actually prefer to keep this as plain as simple as possible - I might only pour a little of the dipping sauce over the greens, as a kind of dressing, and leave the rice and chicken plain. You can also serve each person with a small bowl of chicken stock/broth, to either drink throughout the meal or pour a little over the rice and greens.

Mmm mmmmm. With thanks (or curses) to Mae in Perth, and the Snack Box in Nedlands for getting me well and truly hooked on this.