Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, approx 3.5 lbs
  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 inches ginger, sliced into coins
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed until clear
  • 2 tbsp rendered chicken fat or olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2.5 cups reserved chicken poaching broth
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 cup fermented soybean paste (Taochiao)
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, finely chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 small carrot, julienned
  • 0.25 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot. Add water, sliced ginger, smashed garlic, bruised lemongrass, and 1 tablespoon of salt.
  2. Bring the water to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let the chicken steep in the hot liquid until cooked through to preserve moisture.
  3. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the poaching broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
  4. In a rice cooker or heavy pot, sauté minced garlic in chicken fat or olive oil until fragrant. Stir in Jasmine rice to toast the grains.
  5. Add reserved chicken poaching broth and salt to the rice. Cook until fluffy.
  6. Prepare the signature sauce by blending fermented soybean paste, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, and chopped chilies.
  7. Make the Thai style pickles by tossing sliced cucumber and julienned carrots with rice vinegar, honey, and salt.
  8. Slice the poached chicken into precise pieces and serve over the fragrant rice with a side of ginger sauce and pickles.