Malaysian Chicken with Rice
From a recipe by Mariela Nordel. This very Bulgarian dish is also very popular for lunch in Malaysia — the ingredients are the same, but the technique of preparation is completely different. The result, however, is no less delicious!
Ingredients
| 1 | whole chicken |
| няколко | chicken bouillon cubes |
| поне 3 л | water |
| — | soy sauce |
| — | jasmine rice, long-grain rice and pearl / risotto rice (mixed in equal parts) |
| — | fresh ginger, cut into ~3 cm slices |
| 1 | lemongrass, flattened and cut into large pieces |
| 4-5 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 1-2 | bay leaves |
| — | vegetable oil (preferably rapeseed or rice oil, sunflower also works) |
| 1 | cucumber, thinly sliced |
Instructions
- Heat at least 3 litres of water in a deep pot and dissolve a few chicken bouillon cubes in it. Once it boils and the stock has fully dissolved, place a whole chicken in the pot so it is covered by liquid on all sides. Let it boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover the pot and do not touch it for an hour. After 60–70 minutes remove the chicken and let it cool completely somewhere.
- Set up a fan, point it at the chicken and brush it all over with soy sauce. Leave it in front of the fan to dry and let the sauce soak in, then repeat the brushing procedure 5–6 times. Put the chicken in the fridge for at least 5–6 hours.
- Meanwhile prepare the rice — mix equal parts jasmine rice, long-grain rice and pearl or risotto rice. Tip it into a sieve and rinse well under cold running water until it stops releasing white starch. Leave it to dry.
- Meanwhile cut about 3 cm slices of fresh ginger, flatten and cut a stalk of lemongrass into large pieces and crush 4–5 garlic cloves. Prepare water in a ratio of 1.5 to the rice. Bring the water to a boil, add chicken bouillon cubes again, stir until fully dissolved and keep the stock hot.
- In a deep, thick-bottomed pan pour a little vegetable oil (best rapeseed or rice oil, but sunflower works too), just enough to lightly cover the bottom. Sauté the fresh ginger, 1–2 bay leaves and the lemongrass to release their aroma. Then add the rice and stir vigorously so it does not stick to the bottom. When the rice turns porcelain-coloured, add the crushed garlic and pour in the boiling stock. Stir well, reduce the heat to minimum, cover and do not touch anything for half an hour. Then just turn off the heat, but under no circumstances uncover it for another 30 minutes.
- Tip the cooked rice into a wooden bowl or wooden hollow, remove the ginger pieces, bay leaves and lemongrass, and stir the rice well with a wooden spoon. Wait until it cools completely, then shape it into balls and arrange them on a platter. Slice a cucumber into thin rounds and place them next to the rice balls.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge, debone it and cut it into slices. Place the pieces on the platter beside the rice and cucumber, and serve with a small bowl of soy sauce.