Khao Man Gai

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs)
• 6 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 cilantro roots or stems
• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 tbsp chicken fat (skimmed from broth)
• 1/4 cup fermented soybean paste
• 3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Thai chilies, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Cucumber slices, for serving
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot with salt, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, and cilantro roots.
2. Add the whole chicken, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and poach for 35-40 minutes until cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from broth and plunge into ice water to stop cooking and firm up the skin.
4. Skim the chicken fat from the surface of the broth and reserve.
5. In a rice cooker or pot, sauté the rice in chicken fat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
6. Add 2 cups of the chicken broth to the rice and cook until fluffy.
7. For the sauce, blend or mix together fermented soybean paste, minced ginger, minced garlic, Thai chilies, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar.
8. Slice the poached chicken and serve over the fragrant rice with cucumber slices.
9. Drizzle with the ginger-garlic sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions.
10. Serve with a small bowl of warm chicken broth on the side.