Red sauce (Hainanese chicken rice)

Real Hainanese chicken is made with a specific breed of chicken (wen chang), served with balled rice and a fresh chilli sauce with ginger and lime.  When you use another breed of chicken, it is a copy of, and not quite truly, Hainanese chicken.

White cut chicken originates elsewhere and whilst a similar cooking method it used, the main sauce traditionally served with this dish is the ginger and shallot (scallion) sauce.

These days when you order "Hainanese chicken rice" you will often get sauces from both dishes. If you are Malaysian or Singaporean, you might also be familiar with a third black sauce also known as caramel sauce.

This is my recipe for Hainanese chicken rice chilli sauce.  As this sauce contains raw garlic, it is best consumed on the day it is made.  The vinegar will help preserve but even with refrigeration, please do not consume after a week.

INGREDIENTS

4 big chillies (deseed for your level of spice)

4-6 small hot chillies (adjust for your level of spice)

4x4x2cm ginger (2 thumbs)

8 cloves garlic

1/3C apple cider vinegar

1t sugar

1t salt

1t chicken powder (optional)

Sesame oil


METHOD

Peel garlic and ginger

Cut ginger into shards and chillies into large chunks

Pulse with sugar, salt and chicken powder

Add vinegar and pulse until desired consistency

Pour into a small jar (300g jar)

Top with a layer of sesame oil

Keep in fridge, serve with your poached chicken and sides




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