My greatest flaw in cooking chicken rice is making sure that the water is sufficient for the rice to cook and that they will look nicely fluff. My case has always been of using a little too much water, causing the rice to become sticky and do not look nice at all. The conventional way of cooking the rice would involve cooking the chicken broth, but I don't practice that anymore. I'd just sauté some shredded shallots, garlic and ginger in some oil along with chicken stock and spice cubes. When they are fragrant, just transfer them into the rice which has already been rinsed and measured with the usual amount of water needed to cook it, and cook. To make the rice fluffier, the rinsed rice grain can be soaked in its measured liquid until the rice turns white, which would usually take about 15 minutes, then poured the fried spices and chicken stock and cook them. It's been really convenient for me to cook chicken rice this way.
Soup is also an important dish in a chicken rice menu. I used to simmer chicken into broth and provide it for rice cooking and the soup, but I don't practice this anymore (well, like I have said before). I just use, like I have mentioned; chicken stock and spice cubes. They are sautéed together with some shredded shallots, garlic and ginger, and also some shredded carrots to make the broth a little sweeter. Then some water is poured which amount is determined according to how much that you want to serve. The clear soup is ready to be served when it has simmered.
And, preparing the chicken of course! Nowadays, since I don't prepare broth using chicken, I'd prefer fried chicken that has been marinated with spices. Just grind a teaspoonful of anise (jintan manis), cumin (jintan putih) and 1-2 tablespoonfuls of coriander seeds (ketumbar), with a big clove of garlic and a few slices of ginger. I'd usually use this measurement on half a chicken, which is then marinated with some salt to taste. I would take at least 30 minutes before they are fried to perfection. If you like it a little bit caramelized and juicy, a little oyster sauce mixed into the marinade would make it just fine. Frying need to be done over medium fire, sometimes almost small; to make sure the chicken is wholly cooked.
The condiment for this dish is the garlic flavoured chili pepper sauce. I usually prepare this in a 250ml bowl. Just cut a few red chili peppers and a big clove of garlic crushed together in a blender in about 250ml of water. The mixture is then poured into the cooking pot and added with a few spoonfuls of bottled chili sauce (yes, the ones sold in supermarkets) to thicken the sauce a bit and to add some sweet flavour. I do not recommend adding in sugar though. The mixture is then simmered to thicken a bit before it is served.
To complete the nutritional value of the meal, just include fresh lettuce leaves of any kind. Romaine lettuces are a bit bitter some times and iceberg lettuce wouldn't taste as bitter. Romaine lettuces would however look more presentable on the dinner plate.
Soup is also an important dish in a chicken rice menu. I used to simmer chicken into broth and provide it for rice cooking and the soup, but I don't practice this anymore (well, like I have said before). I just use, like I have mentioned; chicken stock and spice cubes. They are sautéed together with some shredded shallots, garlic and ginger, and also some shredded carrots to make the broth a little sweeter. Then some water is poured which amount is determined according to how much that you want to serve. The clear soup is ready to be served when it has simmered.
And, preparing the chicken of course! Nowadays, since I don't prepare broth using chicken, I'd prefer fried chicken that has been marinated with spices. Just grind a teaspoonful of anise (jintan manis), cumin (jintan putih) and 1-2 tablespoonfuls of coriander seeds (ketumbar), with a big clove of garlic and a few slices of ginger. I'd usually use this measurement on half a chicken, which is then marinated with some salt to taste. I would take at least 30 minutes before they are fried to perfection. If you like it a little bit caramelized and juicy, a little oyster sauce mixed into the marinade would make it just fine. Frying need to be done over medium fire, sometimes almost small; to make sure the chicken is wholly cooked.
The condiment for this dish is the garlic flavoured chili pepper sauce. I usually prepare this in a 250ml bowl. Just cut a few red chili peppers and a big clove of garlic crushed together in a blender in about 250ml of water. The mixture is then poured into the cooking pot and added with a few spoonfuls of bottled chili sauce (yes, the ones sold in supermarkets) to thicken the sauce a bit and to add some sweet flavour. I do not recommend adding in sugar though. The mixture is then simmered to thicken a bit before it is served.
To complete the nutritional value of the meal, just include fresh lettuce leaves of any kind. Romaine lettuces are a bit bitter some times and iceberg lettuce wouldn't taste as bitter. Romaine lettuces would however look more presentable on the dinner plate.