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Hoi An chicken

Name: Hoi An chicken recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Juice of 3 cumquats (or 2 lemons or limes; 1/4 cup or 60ml, or to taste); 40.00 ml vegetable oil; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 200g jasmine rice, rinsed, drained; Sliced long green shallots, to serve; 1 large tomato; 200g long red chillies, halved lengthways, stems removed; 100g bird’s-eye chillies, halved lengthways, stems removed; 100ml vegetable oil; 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 5 eschalots, thinly sliced; 110g caster sugar; 100ml fish sauce; 1.6kg chicken; 4 red onions, chopped; 1 white onion, chopped; 4cm piece fresh ginger, (20g), thinly sliced; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 100g green papaya, cut into matchsticks; 100g carrot, cut into matchsticks; 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges; 125ml vegetable oil; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 40.00 ml lemon or lime juice; 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 250.00 ml loosely packed Vietnamese mint leaves (from Asian grocers); 20.00 ml fried onion or shallots

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Sep 26, 2024

"Hoi An chicken is a dish with the soul of Central Vietnamese cuisine in every ingredient that makes it up. It has a distinct flavour that sets it apart from other chicken rice dishes. Accompanying it is an indispensable plate of sweet and sour salad, and house-made fish sauce. This is one of the best dishes to make when spring comes to Melbourne." - Sam Tran

This recipe is by Sam Tran.

Juice of 3 cumquats (or 2 lemons or limes; 1/4 cup or 60ml, or to taste)
2 tbs vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g jasmine rice, rinsed, drained
Sliced long green shallots, to serve

Chilli paste

1 large tomato
200g long red chillies, halved lengthways, stems removed
100g bird’s-eye chillies, halved lengthways, stems removed
100ml vegetable oil
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 eschalots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
100ml fish sauce

Poached chicken

1 (1.6kg) whole chicken
4 red onions, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
4cm piece fresh ginger, (20g), thinly sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder

Green papaya salad

100g green papaya, cut into matchsticks
100g carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs lemon or lime juice
2 long red chillies, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup loosely packed Vietnamese mint leaves (from Asian grocers)
1 tbs fried onion or shallots

Method

1.

To make chilli paste, cut a small cross in base of tomato skin, then blanch chillies and tomato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds-1 minute, until just tender and skin starts to come away from tomato. Drain and refresh in iced water. Drain, peel and discard tomato skin, place on a chopping board with chilli and roughly chop. Heat oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and eschalots and cook, stirring occasionally, until eschalots have softened. Add chopped tomato and chilli, remaining ingredients and 2 tsp fine salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, until heated through.
2.

Reduce heat to very low and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until mixture has broken down and chilli looks translucent. Cool to room temperature (see notes).
3.

Meanwhile, to poach chicken, place all ingredients in a large saucepan, then add enough water to cover chicken by 5cm. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, loosely cover with a circle of baking paper and cook for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is firm to the touch. Remove from heat and stand for 1 hour, or until cooked through by residual heat.
4.

Remove chicken from stock and shred meat into a large bowl. Add cumquat juice, season to taste and toss to combine. Strain stock into a large measuring jug and reserve, discarding solids.
5.

To cook the rice, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until garlic has softened and rice is slightly yellow. Add 450ml reserved stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, undisturbed, for 18-20 minutes, until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
6.

For salad, soak the papaya, carrot and onion in a large bowl of iced water for 15 minutes to crisp up. Place oil, garlic and juice in a small bowl, season to taste and whisk to combine. When ready to serve, transfer to a large bowl with remaining ingredients and drained vegetables, season to taste and toss to combine.
7.

To serve, add chicken (see notes) to salad, season to taste and toss to combine. Divide among plates, scatter with sliced green onions and drizzle with a little chilli paste. Serve with rice, any remaining chilli paste and extra hot stock (optional, see notes) on the side.

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Recipe Notes

If you don’t use all the chicken, serve leftovers with rice another time. Store chilli paste in an airtight sterilised jar (with a layer of oil on top) in the fridge for up to 6 months. The stock makes 2L. Extra stock can be served as a side soup; garnish with sliced long green shallot.