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The Delicious Appreciations of Pick Yin

Not exactly predictable.
Has enough brains for codes
(but can be completely clueless on other more important matters).
Likes her Joe (and her man?) black, her chocolate dark and her food spicy.
“Quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu.” — Seneca

Total Posts   191      Last Updated   23 November 2015 12:00 PM (GMT +8)

Friday, April 04, 2014


One Pot Chicken Rice



One Pot Chicken Rice

Comfort food, it provides a nostalgic or sentimental feeling to the person eating it. Wiki says many are flavorful. It doesn't solve problems but for that short moment while savoring its warmth, the heart feels fuzzy. Memories of being tucked away at our childhood dining table come flooding and we relish in this state of assurance that the worries of the world can wait.

For you it may be your mother's apple pie or a steaming bowl of chicken soup. For Anton Ego it is the humble ratatouille, albeit made just slightly fancy by a tiny chef with four legs. On a rainy afternoon, I would slap together butter and kaya on two pieces of Benggali white bread, toast the assembly till smoke comes puffing out of the grill and enjoy the sweet, savory crisp simplicity, perhaps with a cup of hot Milo.

Kaya Butter Toast

One Pot Chicken Rice

Then there's always rice because we grew up with it. Sardines in tomato sauce cooked with browned onions, a pinch of curry powder, Sriracha and sambal with a bowl of steamed Japanese gohan makes Vijay happy.

Sardine Sambal and Egg Rice

One Pot Chicken Rice

As for me, I can eat chicken rice every day, perhaps I eat too much of it. How do I say no to a piece of tenderly cooked thigh flavored with just some good soy, rice wine and sesame oil, just like a scene re-enacted from my parent's kitchen?

One Pot Chicken Rice

With this one pot solution crafted by Sherie, I made this way too often and am still not stopping. The chook and rice cooks at the same time together in one vessel, from which you can straight away serve, without fuss or hours slaving by the stove. I've made it for two, four and 15 people, using both the pot and rice cooker. This is one of those things brilliant, busy mothers come up with to save the entire world... okay, at the very least, mine.

What's your comfort food?

One Pot Chicken Rice

Adapted barely from Maameemoomoo's Chicken Rice: The Cheat's Way
Serves 4.

  • a handful of chopped garlic
  • 6-8 shallots, sliced
  • 12-15 slices ginger
  • 5-6 pandan leaves, washed and knotted
  • 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed and washed
  • 3-4 tablespoons peanut oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (if using rice cooker, follow the marked measurements)
  • 60 grams Chinese sausages, steamed and sliced (optional)
  • 4-5 chicken thighs or drumsticks, marinated with few pinches of salt, good light soy sauce, some oil and Shaoxing rice wine for at least 30 minutes
  • few dashes of sesame oil (optional for sauce)
  • 1-2 tablespoons good light soy sauce (optional for sauce)
  • cilantro or spring onion (optional garnishes)


Heat up oil in the designated cooking pot or frying pan (if using rice cooker). Stir in chopped garlic, ginger slices and shallot. Sautee on medium high heat till fragrant and almost golden brown. Add in the rinsed rice. Mix well and coat it with the garlic, ginger and shallot oil.

Pour in chicken stock and rice wine. Mix briefly, then add in the salt and mix well. If using rice cooker, transfer the prepared rice to the cooker pot. Arrange the knotted pandan leaves and chicken pieces on top of the rice, making sure not to overlap any of the chicken. If using stove top, bring to a boil and cover. Using the lowest heat, let the rice cook for at least 15-20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. If using rice cooker, set to cook till rice is done.

Meanwhile, mix your sauce. Once rice and chicken are cooked, let stand for 10-15 minutes covered. Serve with sauce and garnishes.




3 Comments on One Pot Chicken Rice

Hi Pick Yin! Just wanted to drop a note to say that your cake posts are amazing. I love the minimalist food shots. I came to know if this one-pot chicken rice recipe through you and I've made it several times since. So good on a stay-at-home day. Is it ok if I link a post on my blog to this recipe? Thanks much.

-Vasun

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous, at May 15, 2014, 10:38:00 PM  

Sure Vasun, glad you like the chicken rice!

Posted by Blogger PickYin, at May 16, 2014, 2:54:00 PM  

Dear Pick Yin,

This one pot chicken rice looks glorious and I love your photography. Thanks for sharing a beautiful home style recipe.

Posted by Anonymous ChopinandMysaucepan, at Jun 25, 2014, 7:44:00 AM  


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