Hainanese chicken rice

Hainanese chicken riceis a dish of poached chicken and seasoned rice, served with chilli sauce and usually with cucumber garnishes.It was created by immigrants fromHainaninsouthern Chinaand adapted from theHainanese dishesofWenchang chickenand Wenchang chicken rice.
It is widely considered one of thenational dishesofSingapore,and is most commonly associated withSingaporean cuisine,being widely available in most food courts andhawker centresaround the country.Variants of the dish can also be seen throughoutSoutheast Asia, particularly inIndonesia,Malaysia,Thailand, andVietnam, where it remains a culinary staple.
Hainanese chicken rice is a dish adapted from early Chinese immigrants originally fromHainan provincein southern China.It is based on a well-known Hainanese dish calledWenchang chicken, which is one of four important Hainan dishes dating to theQing dynasty.The original dish was adapted by theHainaneseoverseas Chinesepopulation in theNanyangarea (present-day Southeast Asia).The Hainanese in China traditionally used a specific breed, the Wenchang chicken, to make the dish.They would usually cook rice with the leftover chicken stock to create a dish known as "Wenchang chicken rice".Wenchang chicken rice remained a dish for special occasions in Hainanese homes in Singapore until the 1940s.
There is a shared culture of seasoned rice dishes acrossHainanand theLeizhou peninsula. Wenchang chicken rice is closely related to another chicken rice dish known as Anpu chicken rice fromZhanjiangin westernGuangdong province, and Anpu chicken rice is speculated to be the predecessor to Wenchang chicken rice.The city of Zhanjiang is also known for itswild betelrice (蛤蒌饭)and duck rice (鸭仔饭).
Almost every country in Asia with a history of immigration from China has a version of Hainanese chicken rice.TheSan Francisco Chroniclesays, "the dish maps 150 years’ immigration from China's Hainan Island...to Singapore and Malaysia, where the dish is often known as Hainan chicken rice; to Vietnam, where it is called "Hai Nam chicken"; and to Thailand, where it has been renamedkhao man gai("chicken fat rice")."
When it comes to the history ofWenchang chicken, according to the records of Lin Zhemin from the Livestock and Veterinary Research Institute ofHainan Province, it has long been a delicacy used by local officials and people to entertain guests. According to the Hainan Chamber of Commerce, it is said that during theMing Dynasty, a Wenchang native served in the imperial court and brought Wenchang chicken back to his hometown to entertain members of theroyal familyduring theLunar New Year. As they tasted it, the royals praised, "This chicken hails from the land of culture, where talents gather and the culture flourishes. The chicken is also delicious and fragrant, truly deserving the name Wenchang chicken!" Thus, the legend of Wenchang chicken's name originated.
Additionally, during the reign of theGuangxu Emperorof theQing Dynasty, there were several largebanyantrees in Wenchang, which bore seeds all year round. The chickens pecked at these seeds and became plump and delicious, contributing to the reputation of Wenchang chicken's deliciousness. The earliest mention can be found in the Qing Dynasty book "Lingnan Miscellaneous Poems," which states, "There is a kind of hen in Wenchang County that tastes as good as a rooster."
Based on historical records and inference, Wenchang chicken was introduced to Hainan Island, specifically Wenchang County, around the early 1600s during the Ming Dynasty, along with mainland immigrants, and was cultivated in this unique natural environment. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was already a tradition of raising Wenchang chickens in rural areas of Wenchang. It was mainly used as a delicacy for festivals, entertaining guests, and giving gifts. After the revolution in China in 1949, it was still difficult to buy or eat Wenchang chicken in the market or restaurants.
According to a 2006 study in "Meat Research," Wenchang chicken is a high-quality chicken breed in Hainan with a history of over 400 years and is one of the four famous dishes of Hainan. In the 1980s, due to the impact of foreign chicken breeds, Wenchang chicken was once on the brink of extinction.
In Singapore, the dish was born out of frugality, created by servant-class immigrants trying to utilise limited sources to its maximum. An old hen which had passed its eggs laying years would be slaughtered to be cooked into broth and rice to extract the chicken flavour.
The first chicken rice restaurants opened in Singapore duringJapanese occupationin World War II, when the British were forced out and their Hainanese servants lost their source of income. One of the first was Yet Con, which opened in the early 1940s.There were also sources stating that Wang Yiyuan, a street hawker first started selling "chicken rice balls wrapped in banana leaves" in Singapore during the 1920s.The dish was popularised in Singapore in the 1950s by Moh Lee Twee, whose Swee Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant operated from 1947 to 1997.Hong Kong food criticChua Lamcredits Moh with the creation of the dish.
Hainanese chicken rice is considered one of Singapore'snational dishes.It is eaten "everywhere, every day" in Singaporeand is a "ubiquitous sight in hawker centres across the country".The chicken is typically served with seasoned rice, with chilli sauce and usually with cucumber garnishes.While most commonly associated with Singaporean cuisine, the dish is also seen throughout Southeast Asia and in parts of the United States,where the dish is named "Singapore chicken rice" in some places.The dish is widely popular in Singapore and can be found in hawker centres, restaurants and hotels.
In a debate that stretches back decades to 1965, when the two countries split, Malaysia and Singapore have both laid claim to inventing the dish.
In 2009, Malaysian Tourism MinisterNg Yen Yensaid that Hainanese chicken rice was "uniquely Malaysian" and had been "hijacked" by other countries.Ng later clarified that she was misquoted on her intention to patent the foods, and that a study on the origins of the foods would be conducted "and an apology conveyed if it was wrongly claimed."
In 2018, then Malaysian Finance MinisterLim Guan Engjoked that Singapore claimed "chicken rice is theirs (and) if we're not careful, ‘char koay teow‘ will become theirs" one day.
The debate has been described as an example ofgastronationalism.
Catherine Ling ofCNNcalled Hainanese chicken rice one of the "40 Singapore foods we can't live without."It was listed as one of the "World's 50 best foods" by CNN in 2018.David Farley of theBBCcalled it "the dish worth the 15-hour flight" and said it was "deceptively simple – which is good, because on paper it sounds awfully boring."Saveurcalled it "one of the most beloved culinary exports of Southeast Asia."
In Malaysia,nasi ayam(lit."chicken rice" inBahasa Melayu) is "a culinary staple"and a popular street food, particularly inIpoh, a center of Hainanese immigration.
The general termnasi ayamcan refer to multiple variations including roasted and fried chicken, can be served with a variety of sauces including barbecue, and can be accompanied by a variety of side dishes including steamed rice rather than seasoned 'oily' rice, soup, or chickenoffal.
InMalaccaandMuar, the rice is served in balls rather than in bowls; this dish is commonly known asChicken rice balls.Steamed riceis shaped into golf ball-sized orbs and served alongside the chopped chicken.
Thechickenis prepared in accordance with traditional Hainanese methods, which involvepoachingthe entire chicken at sub-boiling temperatures to both cook the chicken and produce the stock. The chicken is dipped in ice after cooking to produce a jelly-like skin finishing and hung to dry.
The stock is skimmed of fat and some of the fat and liquid, along withginger, garlic, andpandan leaves, are used in the cooking of the rice, producing an oily, flavourful rice sometimes known as "oily rice".In Singapore "the most important part of chicken rice is not the chicken, but the rice."
The dish is served with a dipping sauce of freshly minced red chilli and garlic, usually accompanied withdark soy sauceand freshly ground ginger. Fresh cucumber boiled in the chicken broth and light soy sauce with a dash of sesame oil is served with the chicken, which is usually served at room temperature.Some stalls may also servenonya acharas an additional side.
Hainanese chicken rice is a commondish in Thailandwhere it is calledkhao man kai(Thai:ข้าวมันไก่,pronounced[kʰâːwmānkàj]), literally meaning "chicken oily rice". The chickens used in Thailand for this dish are usually free range chickens of local breeds, resulting in a leaner and tastier texture; however, meat from chickens oflarge scale poultry farmsis increasingly being used.Khao man kaiis served with a garnish of cucumbers and occasionally chickenblood tofuand freshcoriander, along with a bowl ofnam sup, a clear chicken broth which often contains sliceddaikon. The accompanying sauce is most often made withtauchu(also known asyellow soybean paste), thick soy sauce, chilli, ginger, garlic and vinegar.
One famous Bangkok neighbourhood forKhao man kaiisPratunaminRatchathewidistrict, located near toPlatinum Fashion Mall,CentralWorldandRatchaprasong Intersection.A restaurant inPratunamreceivedBib Gourmandawards from the 2018 Michelin Guide.Khao man kaiis also well known in other areas, includingPracha Chuen,YaowaratandPhasi CharoennearBang Wa BTS stationandPhyathai 3 Hospitalincluding various places areThanon ToknearRama III Bridge,Thong LoronSukhumvit Road,Wat Suthiwararam School,Yan Nawa,Bang Kapi,Wat Saket, andSaphan Kwaineighbourhoods.
The dish is known asCơm Gà Hải Namin Vietnamese, and is common in South Vietnam.
InCambodia, the dish is known asbay moan(បាយមាន់) inKhmer,which translates to "chicken rice." An assortment of pickled vegetables is served alongside as astreet food. Its origins can be traced back to the 17th century, where it is believed to have been introduced byHokkienandHainaneseimmigrants.