Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice with Chicken Offal Soup

In a large pot, bring 2000ml of water to a boil with 2 lemongrass stalks and 2 pandan leaves over high heat. Holding the tied chicken, lower it into boiling water to fill the cavity then lift it up; repeat 1 to 2 times to equalize temperature. Submerge the whole chicken, cover with lid, immediately turn off heat, and let it poach in residual heat for 25 minutes.

Place 200g blanched chicken fat pieces into a hot wok, add 30ml water, and fry on high heat stirring constantly. First cook until water evaporates, then render out liquid fat until sizzling sounds stop and fat residues turn golden brown. Scoop out residues and pour pure chicken oil into a bowl.

Leave 30ml of rendered chicken oil in the wok over medium heat, add 300g washed and drained aged white rice. Stir-fry constantly with a wooden spatula until rice grains are evenly coated, dry, loose, and fragrant, then scoop out to a bowl.

Peel and chop 30g fresh turmeric, blend with water into a paste, then strain to get turmeric water. In a measuring cup, mix 350ml chicken broth with turmeric water to create golden stock. Transfer fried rice into a claypot, pour in the turmeric stock until the liquid covers the rice by about 5-6mm.

Place claypot over medium heat. When liquid boils with bubbles, add 2 bruised lemongrass stalks and 4 knotted pandan leaves. Turn to low heat immediately, cover with lid, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until water is absorbed.

After poaching off-heat for 25 minutes, lift the chicken out by the string. Immediately submerge it entirely into a bowl with 1500ml ice water, turning it around to cool for 3 minutes until skin tightens.

Remove claypot lid, loosen rice gently with a spoon. Drizzle 30ml rendered chicken oil along the inner edges of the claypot. Cover with lid, turn off heat, and steam off-heat for 5 minutes to let oil seep into the bottom rice.

In another soup pot, bring 1000ml soup stock brewed with 40g dried bok choy to a boil over medium heat. When dried bok choy softens, add 300g cut fresh bok choy and cook until softened.

Score 100g chicken gizzards with criss-cross cuts on a cutting board. Add them into the boiling soup pot first, as gizzards have a tougher texture and require longer cooking time.

Remove chilled Hainanese chicken from ice water, drain well, and place on a wooden cutting board. Cut off the head and neck, halve along the breastbone, and chop into bite-sized pieces, arranging neatly on a plate.

Add 50g chicken hearts and 50g chicken livers to the boiling soup pot, cook uncovered over medium heat for 3 minutes. When offal is cooked and bok choy stems are tender, season with 5g salt, stir well, and serve.