Hainanese Chicken Rice — Chinese-Style Poached Chicken with Ginger Rice

Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water, then pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the skin with coarse salt and let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off; this cleans and tightens the skin. Stuff the cavity with coarsely chopped ginger and halved scallions.

Bring 3 liters of water to a boil in a large pot. Holding the chicken by the neck, dip it into the water and lift it out three times to tighten the skin. Lower the chicken into the pot. As soon as the water stops boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and keep the water at a bare simmer. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone; the chicken is ready at 74°C / 165°F. Reserve the poaching liquid.

Lift the chicken out with a slotted spoon and plunge it directly into ice water. Let it sit for 5 minutes. This immediately stops the cooking and creates the slick, gelatinous layer between the skin and meat that is prized in Hainanese chicken. Drain and pat dry.

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain it. Melt the chicken fat in a pot and cook the minced garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add the rice and toast for 2 minutes, until the grains glisten with fat. Add the salt and 480 ml of hot chicken broth. Once it boils, cover the pot and cook over the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Combine the grated ginger, finely minced scallions, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until it just begins to smoke, then pour it over the mixture; it should sizzle vigorously. If it does not sizzle, the oil is too cool and the sauce will taste of raw ginger.

Remove the chicken from the bones, cut it into thick slices with the skin on, and arrange it on a platter. Serve it with molded rice, thinly sliced cucumber, and the three sauces—ginger-scallion, chili, and dark soy—in separate small bowls. Do not mix the sauces; choose one with each bite. Serve the remaining hot poaching liquid in individual bowls as soup.