Flavoured Chicken Rice

After many years of buying pre-mix jars of chicken rice paste, I decided to give it a go from scratch, now that I got a Singapore cookbook for my 30th birthday. I did attempt to cook it at the final stage in a rice cooker, but I should have stuck to the stove as I had to switch the rice cooker to from "Warm" to "Cook" a couple of times before I got the rice right. I also had the chicken pieces in the steamer attachment of the rice cooker instead, so that took some time to cook. Serve with sliced cucumbers for a nice cool side.

MIXTURE A
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon msg (or chicken salt)
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

MIXTURE B
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, shredded finely
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 shallots, thinly sliced

MIXTURE C
2 tablespoons light soya sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon msg (or chicken salt)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 chicken cube, mashed
1/4 teaspoon pepper

905 g (2 lb) deboned chicken, cut into pieces
115 ml (4 fl oz) lard or oil
4 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and sliced thinly
625 g (22 oz) jasmine rice, washed and drained
935 ml (33 fl oz) boiling water
2 pairs Chinese sausages, fried and cut into 4 cm (1 1/2 in) pieces
Chinese parsley, to garnish
Cucumbers, sliced thinly (optional)

Marinate the chicken in MIXTURE A for 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in hot pan and fry chicken until brown on all sides. Set aside.

Heat lard in wok and fry MIXTURE B until light brown. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the rice and fry until oil is absorbed.

Mix MIXTURE C in a bowl. Add to ruce together with 935 ml (33 fl oz) boiling water. Cook until rice is quite dry.

Place the fried sausages and the fried chicken pieces on the rice. Allow to cook for 30 minutes over a low heat. Serve hot.

Bacon and Eggs with Garlic Rice

Inspired by Norbert & Zennie Munoz, and Nori Lynn Munoz.

Serves 2

vegetable oil, for frying
3 tsp minced garlic
2 cups cooked rice
8 slices rindless bacon
4 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
Sweet soy sauce to serve
8 cherry tomatoes, halved, to garnish

Preheat oven to 100 deg C. This will be used to keep food warm. Place large bowl in microwave and heat on high for 1 minute. Leave warm bowl in microwave until needed.

Heat oil in wok over medium high heat, then fry garlic until fragrant, and golden brown. Stir in leftover rice, making sure to break up lumps of rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fry until heated through. Turn off oven, scoop rice into microwaved bowl, then place in oven to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Fry bacon, turning over regularly until brown all over. Transfer bacon to warmed plate, and place in oven to keep warm.

Add oil to frying pan if necessary, then heat oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Break each egg into a small bowl, then slide egg onto frying pan. When underside is firm, turn over and cook other side for a short time before transferring to warmed plate. Repeat for any other eggs which did not fit in the frying pan.

Divide rice onto warmed plates, lay bacon over each bed of rice, then place eggs on top, careful not to break runny yolks. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, then drizzle with sweet soy sauce over bacon and eggs.

Serve immediately, or place in oven to keep warm while you make yourself a latte for breakfast.

Previously posted on Facebook.