Vietnamese Inspired Hainanese Chicken Rice (Com Ga Hai Nam)

Step 1

First, soak the scallops for at least 10 minutes.

Step 2

Rub the salt on the chicken.

Step 3

Add the rice cooking wine to a large bowl and add the chicken. Coat the chicken with the rice cooking wine. Refrigerate overnight.

Step 4

The next day, make the broth. Broil the onion and ginger in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Step 5

Add the pork to a large pot and cover it with water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

Step 6

Remove from the heat. Rinse the pork pieces and the pot. Add the pork back to the pot and add fresh water until it just covers the pork.

Step 7

Bring to a boil and skim off any impurities that you see. Lower to a simmer. Add the charred onion, ginger, dried scallops, and salt. Simmer for 2 hours.

Step 8

While the soup is simmering, prep the rice ingredients and make both sauces. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and mince the shallots and garlic. Set aside. Combine all the ingredients for both sauces and set aside.

Step 9

After 2 hours, take out the pork. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and sugar to the pot, and let it boil for 5 minutes.

Step 10

Next, add the chicken broth. Lower to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Make sure the water fully covers the chicken. Add more water if needed. Taste the broth to make sure the broth is salty enough for your preference.

Step 11

After 30 minutes, check to make sure the chicken is cooked. Cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Another trick is to poke the chicken and if the juices run clear, it's done.

Step 12

Take the chicken out and put it in an ice bath (ice water). This stops the cooking process. Once cold enough, cut the chicken into pieces and store in the fridge until the rice is done.

Step 13

The soup should also be done at this point too. Skim off the chicken fat from the top and set aside.

Step 14

Now it's time to make the rice! Over medium high heat, add the shallots and garlic to a large saute pan or pot with 1 tbsp of oil. Saute for 30 seconds until they start to brown.

Step 15

Add the rice and chicken fat from step Saute until the rice turns a light brown color. Make sure to constantly mix so the rice is cooked evenly.

Step 16

Add the rice to a rice cooker. Add enough water until the surface of the broth is about 1/2 an inch above the top of the rice. Cook the rice for about an hour.

Step 17

Once done, serve the rice with the chicken and the sauces. The chicken should be served cold.