Authentic Homemade Hainanese Chicken Rice

Mix 0.5 tbsp salt and 0.5 tbsp chicken powder in a small bowl. Rub evenly over the skin and inside cavity of 1 yellow chicken. Stuff 2 smashed lemongrass stalks and galangal trimmings inside the cavity, tuck the legs to secure, and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Place the room-temperature chicken on a rack over a deep dish, steam on high heat for 45 minutes until fully cooked. Let cool, then pour out the rich chicken drippings from the cavity and dish into a container for later use.

Separate 1.5 heads of garlic into unpeeled cloves, remove center sprouts, and crack open using the end of a knife handle. Slice 1 piece of galangal thinly. Smash and chop 3 lemongrass stalks into sections. Wipe clean and knot 2 pandan leaves.

Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil (and chicken fat if available) in a wok over medium heat. Fry chopped lemongrass until partially fragrant, add galangal slices and sauté until golden, then add garlic cloves and stir-fry until golden brown and fragrant. Scoop out the fried aromatics onto a plate, leaving the flavored oil in the wok.

Pour 7 cups of washed and drained jasmine rice into the wok with the remaining aromatic oil. Stir-fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the rice absorbs the oil, becomes dry, loose, and fragrant. Turn off heat and transfer rice into the rice cooker pot.

In a blender cup, place 0.5 piece sliced galangal, 6 Thai chilies, 2 tsp sugar, juice of 4 limes, and 0.25 cup water. Pulse blend into a textured coarse paste (do not liquefy). Pour into a bowl, add 0.5 head crushed garlic, 1 piece ginger paste, and 2 tsp fish sauce, then stir well.

Slice 2 unpeeled, washed cucumbers diagonally into thin slices. Arrange them along the sides of a large serving platter.

Pour reserved steamed chicken juices into a glass measuring cup, top up with water according to a 1 rice to 0.9 liquid ratio (reserve 0.5 cup space for coconut milk later). Strain the liquid through a mesh sieve into the rice cooker pot over the stir-fried rice.

Add 1 tbsp chicken powder and 0.5 tbsp salt into the rice cooker pot, stir well. Top rice with reserved fried lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and knotted pandan leaves. Close lid and press cook button until the first cycle finishes.

When the rice cooker pops, open lid and pick out lemongrass, galangal, and pandan leaves with chopsticks and discard (keep softened garlic in a side bowl if desired). Fluff the rice, pour in 0.5 cup coconut milk, and stir thoroughly. Close lid and press cook button again for a second short steaming cycle.

Use kitchen shears to cut off chicken wings and feet from cooled chicken. Place neck and back bones in the center of the cucumber platter as a base. Snip and debone thighs and chicken breasts into thick slices, arranging neat slices smoothly on top. Drizzle remaining chicken fat oil over top, serve with chicken rice and chili sauce.