Hainanese chicken rice (Simplified Chinese: 海南鸡饭; Traditional Chinese: 海南雞飯; pinyin: Hǎinán jīfàn) is a rice dish most commonly associated with Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Malaysia and found in Hainan itself. So-called due to its roots in Hainan cuisine and its adoptation by the Hainanese Overseas Chinese population in the Nanyang area, the version found in Singapore combines elements of Hainan and Cantonese cuisine along with culinary preferences in the Southeast Asian region. Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiǎntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiǎnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), often shortened to pinyin (Chinese: 拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n), which literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese, is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... The cuisine of Singapore is often viewed by her population as a prime example of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore. ... Hainan (Chinese: 海南; pinyin: ) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located at the southern end of the country. ... Overseas Chinese (華僑 in pinyin: huáqiáo, or 華胞 huábāo, or 僑胞 qiáobāo, or 華裔 huáyì) are ethnic Chinese people who live outside of China. ... Nanyang (南洋; pinyin nán yáng) is the Chinese name for the geographical region south of China, particularly Southeast Asia. ... Cantonese cuisine (Chinese: 粵菜; pinyin: ) originates from the region around Canton in southern Chinas Guangdong province. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

Preparation

The chicken which is prepared in traditional Hainanese methods would 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 preferances for creating "master stocks". This stock is not used for rice preperation, the later of which involves chicken stock created specifically for that purpose and producing on oily, flavourful rice sometimes known as "oily rice". Some cooks may add cononut milk to the rice, reminiscent of the Malay dish Nasi lemak. Nasi lemak is often served with cucumber slices, small dried anchovies, roasted peanuts, and other such condiments. ...

The Hainanese would prefer using older, plumper birds to maximise the amount of oil extracted, thus creating a more flavour-full dish. Over time, however, the dish began adopting elements of Cantonese cooking styles, the later of which prefers 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 refered to as Báijī (百鸡) for "white chicken", in contrast to the more traditional Lǔjī (stock chicken), also known as Xāojī (烧鸡) or roasted chicken. In Singapore, where modernity has led to 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 preperation of the rice and also in the accompanying soup.

The dish is usually served with several dips, including chilli sauce and pounded ginger. While it is common in Hainan to also offer a third sauce involving oyster sauce mixed with garlic, dark soya sauce is more commonly served in Singapore. The Singaporean version of the chili is also much more hotter in reflection of its Southeast Asian influences, and may also involve a mixture of chilli with garlic. Most dishes are served with sliced cucumber in accordance with the Chinese preference for introducing some variety for a more complete meal. The chile pepper (also chili or chilli; from Spanish chile) is the fruit of the plant Capsicum from the nightshade family (Solanaceae). ... Binomial name Zingiber officinale Rosc. ... Oyster Sauce produced by Lee Kum Kee Oyster sauce (蚝油 háo yóu ; 蠔油) is a viscous sauce prepared from oysters and brine, often with chemical preservatives added. ... Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce (UK) is a fermented sauce, made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt, commonly used in Asian cuisine, and in some Western cuisine dishes, especially Worcestershire sauce. ... Binomial name Allium sativum L. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant in the family Alliaceae and genus Allium, closely related to the onion, shallot, and leek. ... Binomial name Cucumis sativus L. Ref: ITIS 22364 The cucumber is the edible fruit of the cucumber plant Cucumis sativus, which belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, as do melons and squash. ...

Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore

The prevalance of stalls selling Hainanese chicken rice as their primary specialty in Singapore underscores its unrivalled popularity amongst Singaporeans and overseas visitors. Straw polls conducted have consistently seen the dish topping the charts when members of the public were asked for their favourite local dish, and comes close to being considered a "national dish" of Singapore, especially with the marketing and promotion of the dish internationally. The dish was served at international expositions and numerous other global events abroad, and in Singapore-run restaurants overseas, Hainanese chicken rice is one of the few dishes served on Singapore Airlines as a representation of Singaporean cuisine. A national dish is a dish, food or a drink that represents a particular country, nation or region. ... An exposition may be one of the following: In music an exposition is the first of the sections in sonata allegro form. ... Singapore Airlines Limited (Abbreviated: SIA; Chinese: 新加坡航空公司, Pinyin: Xīnjīapō Hángkōng Gōngsī, abbreviated: 新航) (IATA: SQ, ICAO: SIA, and Callsign: Singapore) (SGX: S55) is the national airline of Singapore, and the leading and founding entity of the Singapore Airlines Group of companies. ... The cuisine of Singapore is often viewed by her population as a prime example of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore. ...

Served at almost all local food outlets and food courts in Singapore, some bigger chains include Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, Boon Tong Kee, Loy Kee which has many stalls islandwide. Their price range is around S$2-4 (if it is a drumstick) Some stalls have extras such as hard boiled egg, Western firm tofu, kailan as a side dish. Some may serve chicken rice sets, with these side dishes. They usually costs around $0.50 to $1.50. Hainanese owned coffee shops serve rice with chicken and other dishes such as pork chops, vegetables, fish, eggs and char siu. They are mostly air-conditioned, and they are mainly located at Purvis Street and Seah Street. Women waiting for pizza in the food court of the Staten Island Mall A food court is a type of indoor plaza contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and providing a common area for self-serve dining. ... Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice is an islandwide fxrxaxnxcxhxixsxe cxoxmxpxaxnxy which specialises in Chicken rice. ... The Singapore dollar, divided into 100 cents, is the monetary unit of Singapore (currency code SGD). ... Ducks amongst other poultry The Poultry-dealer, after Cesare Vecellio. ... Tofu, sometimes also called bean curd or doufu (nearly always in the context of Chinese recipes), is a food made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. ... Cultivar Group Brassica oleracea Alboglabra Group Kai-lan (Chinese 芥蘭 trad. ... A pork chop is a term for several steak-style cuts of pork from the loin. ... Vegetables on a market Vegetable is a nutritional and culinary term denoting any part of a plant that is commonly consumed by humans as food, but is not regarded as a culinary fruit, nut, herb, spice, or grain. ... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) water-dwelling... Look up egg in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Char siu (Tradtional Chinese: 叉燒, Simplified Chinese: 叉烧; Mandarin Pinyin: chāshāo; Cantonese IPA: , Jyutping: caa1 siu1, Yale: chā siÅ«; Min Nan: Char Sio), also known as cha siu, BBQ pork and char siew, is Cantonese-style barbecued pork. ...

One of the most famous Hainanese chicken rice dishes is served at a coffee house called "Chatterbox" at the luxurious Meritus Mandarin Singapore, in Orchard Road, Singapore at S$20, which is far more expensive than those served at food courts which costs around $2-$4. The dish has won many national cuisine awards for the hotel. It is served in a large circular wooden tray, neatly holding a plate of steamed or roast chicken with cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce below and light soy sauce, a bowl of rice, a bowl of chicken soup, and three small dishes of 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. Hotels in Singapore serve Hainanese chicken rice with a wooden tray either circular or rectangular. A Street Cafe, Jerusalem, Henry Fenn (1838- ): steel engraving in Picturesque Palestine, ca 1875 A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or caf shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant. ... The Meritus Mandarin Singapore (Chinese: 文华大酒店) is a five-star hotel located at 333 Orchard Road in Singapore. ... Orchard Road is lit up elaborately nearer the end of every year for the Christmas festive season. ... Binomial name Cucumis sativus L. Ref: ITIS 22364 The cucumber is the edible fruit of the cucumber plant Cucumis sativus, which belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, as do melons and squash. ... Binomial name Solanumlycopersicum Linnaeus ref. ... Binomial name Lactuca sativa L. Lettuce is a temperate annual or biannual plant most often grown as a leaf vegetable. ... Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt. ... Chicken soup is a soup made of chicken broth, typically with chunks of chicken, potatoes, carrots, green peas, onions and other vegetables. ... An example recipe, printed from the Wikibooks Cookbook. ...

Canteen vendors sell chicken rice in schools. However, it is not the same and is just sliced chicken with rice and soya sauce. Few schools, serve something similar to the Hainanese chicken rice way.

Hainanese chicken rice in Malaysia

The Ipoh chicken rice, from the Malaysian town of Ipoh, is normally served with bean sprouts. This is a very popular version of the rice and a lot of other chicken rice stall have slowly followed it by adding in bean sprouts along with the chicken. The location of Ipoh on the map of Peninsula Malaysia. ... Binomial name Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek Synonyms The mung bean is the seed of Vigna radiata which is native to India. ...

In Malacca, the chicken is served with rice balls rather than a bowl of rice, which commonly known as Chicken rice balls. The rice is shaped into golf ball-sized orbs and served alongside the chopped chicken. This dish is eaten the same way you would eat the regular version, making sure to get a portion of chicken, some rice and the soy and chili condiment into each mouthful. Older chefs argue that the rice was originally shaped into balls because it needed to be kept warm from the time it was cooked (often earlier in the day) until mealtime. The rice balls when stored in wooden containers, apparently stayed warm for a longer time. The other theory is that the rice balls were more portable and were easier for labourers working on plantations to transport from home. Today, rice balls are appreciated more as a novelty than anything else. State motto: Bersatu Teguh Capital Malacca Town Governor Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd. ...

Chicken rice in Malaysia is not restricted to sale in Chinese coffeeshops only - many local roadside stalls also sell it and it has certainly crossed the race boundary - Chinese and other races alike love and sell chicken rice. There is even a Malaysian chicken rice chain-store by the name of The Chicken Rice Shop.

External links

• Singapore Chicken Rice Roots