Step 1

If your chicken comes with the head, neck and feet, chop them off along with the wing tips and add to a stock pot large enough to put the chicken into. Add onions, daikon (if using), garlic, ginger, cilantro roots and white peppercorns. Add enough water to generously submerge all ingredients. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the herbs.

Step 2

Meanwhile, remove excess chicken skin and any fatty bits, such as around the neck flap and around the chicken cavity opening. Add these fat trimmings to the pot you will use to cook the rice; if you're using a rice cooker, put the fat in the pot of the rice cooker. Set it aside for now.

Step 3

Once the stock is ready, season with 1 Tbsp of salt and fill the pot about ⅔ full with cold water (or however much you think is needed to submerge the chicken). Add the chicken to the pot and add more water as needed to keep the chicken submerged.

Step 4

On medium high heat, bring the temperature of the water up to 165 - 170 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer here's what to look for: the water should have lots of steam coming off the top but is not simmering (no bubbling!).

Step 5

Once the temperature is reached, reduce the heat to medium-low, or whatever is needed to maintain the temperature there. Taste the broth and add more salt as needed until it tastes like a nice-but-mildly-salted soup.

Step 6

Cook until the chicken is done, flipping the chicken halfway through and keeping an eye on the heat to make sure the water is not simmering. The internal temperature should be 165F at the thickest part of the thighs. This takes about 30 minutes for my small 2.5 lb chicken, and will take 40-50 minutes for larger chickens. Note: Cooking time starts AFTER water temperature has reached 165F.

Step 7

When the chicken is done, use tongs to remove it from the stock and let cool to room temperature. Make the rice while the chicken cools.

Step 8

Wash the rice a few times until the water runs mostly clear.

Step 9

Heat the collected chicken fat over low heat until you've got about 2-3 Tbsp of rendered chicken fat. If for some reason you do not have enough rendered fat, you can supplement with vegetable oil. Remove the solids and discard.

Step 10

Add the garlic and saute until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the rinsed rice and toss to coat. Cover with the chicken broth (from cooking the chicken) and stir occasionally until the rice is thick enough that the fat is mixed into the liquid and no longer floats on top. Cover and let cook on low heat until rice is done, about 15 minutes or until the rice cooker clicks off. Make the dipping sauces while the rice cooks.

Step 11

Pound together the ginger and chilies into a rough paste. Then add fermented soybean paste, sugar, black soy sauce, regular soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in chopped cilantro if using.

Step 12

Pound together garlic, chilies, ginger, and cilantro stems into a rough paste. Add the sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves.

Step 13

Taste the remaining broth and adjust seasoning as needed; we always serve a bowl of broth alongside the rice. You can add some chopped green onions or cilantro to the broth also if you wish.

Step 14

Carve the chicken, debone the thighs and drumsticks, and slice them into thick slices. You can follow this video for instructions: How to carve a chicken.

Step 15

Serve the sliced meat over rice, along with some sliced cucumber on the side, and a bowl of chicken broth as a palate cleanser. Don't forget the sauces!