Ginger Scallion Chicken and Rice

Ginger Scallion Chicken and Rice

Hainanese chicken rice, most likely originating from the island of Hainan off the coast of southern China, is a beloved dish of silky poached whole chicken and gingery rice cooked with the bird’s cooking broth and rendered fat. This streamlined version of the traditional dish simmers the two together in a single pot to make it a meal fast enough for weeknights. With endless variations throughout the world, most notably in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, one constant is dipping sauces for the meat. There’s often three: ginger-scallion or ginger-garlic sauce, sweetened dark soy and red chile sauce. Here, hot oil is poured over minced ginger and scallions to create an aromatic blend that brings a warming edge to the comforting rice and meat. The slick of oil that remains is used to quickly stir-fry vegetables to turn this into a complete meal. Any leftover sauce is great over fish, tofu, eggs and noodles.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger (2 ounces), scrubbed well

2 ¾ pounds chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs, or a combination

Salt

2 cups jasmine rice

1 bunch scallions

½ cup canola or other neutral-flavored oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower

12 ounces sturdy leafy greens, such as bok choy, napa cabbage and kale

½ teaspoon rice or sherry vinegar (optional)

Trim the ends and sides with knobby rounds off the ginger. Put the ginger trimmings in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, along with the chicken. Add 3 cups cold water and a big pinch of salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and simmer, turning the pieces once, for 15 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients: Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear and let drain. Very finely chop the trimmed ginger. Trim and finely chop the scallions. Combine the ginger and scallion in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle generously with salt and reserve.

Once the chicken has simmered for 15 minutes, taste the broth and add enough salt to make it really savory. Stir the rice into the pot. Use tongs to arrange the chicken pieces skin side up over the grains. Raise the heat to high to bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

While the rice rests, heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high until shimmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallions, leaving a sheen of oil in the pan.

Return the wok to the high heat, and add the greens and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the greens are brighter in color and just tender. Add a splash of water to the pan if the greens are a bit dry.

Stir the vinegar into the ginger-scallion sauce. Taste and add more salt if you’d like. Serve with the chicken rice and stir-fried greens. (Pick out the ginger trimmings from the rice while eating.)

Sesame Soy Chicken With Ginger-Scallion Noodles

Sesame Soy Chicken With Ginger-Scallion Noodles

Every time I return to my native Hong Kong, I visit one of the city’s famed cha chaan teng, the noisy diners known for cheap, satisfying meals and brusque service. I once had a dish there that I’ve been making at home ever since: Instant ramen tossed in ginger-scallion sauce, topped with a pan-fried chicken cutlet and a fried egg. The yolk broke and ran over everything, mixing with the oil until the two became a rich and savory coating. The ginger-scallion sauce is the engine here — make it once and it keeps all week, improving poached chicken, pork chops and even a bowl of plain rice.

Yield: 4 servings

For the chicken and noodles

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or deboned skin-on thighs)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more for seasoning

½ teaspoon white or black pepper, plus more for seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (optional)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

4 instant ramen bricks

4 eggs

Chile oil or chile crisp (optional)

For the ginger-scallion sauce

6 medium scallions sliced, white and green parts

2 ounces ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal (If not using fish sauce, use 1 ½ teaspoons salt.)

½ teaspoon sugar

½ cup vegetable oil 

½ teaspoon fish sauce (optional)

At least 2 hours before serving, cut a number of slits into the chicken thighs without piercing them completely (if using deboned skin-on chicken, cut slits on the meaty underside of the thighs). Place thighs in a bowl, and add soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper, minced garlic, toasted sesame oil and Shaoxing wine if using. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge.

Make the ginger-scallion sauce: In a small heat-safe bowl, combine scallions, ginger,salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly to release some of the liquid. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. 

Add the oil to a small saucepan and heat until it reads 325 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Carefully pour the hot oil into ginger-scallion mixture. The mixture will immediately sizzle. Add fish sauce if using, stir, and let cool. (Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.) 

When ready to eat, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs until beautifully brown, about 5 minutes on each side. When the chicken is cooked (it should register at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant-read thermometer), remove from heat onto a plate.

Cook the ramen bricks in the pot of boiling water according to package directions. Divide cooked noodles among four bowls, and spoon a generous tablespoon of ginger-scallion sauce and its flavored oil onto the noodles, tossing to combine. Slice each thigh into strips and lay over each bowl of noodles. Spoon more ginger-scallion sauce onto the chicken.

In the same pan you used to cook the chicken, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the drippings and fry four eggs sunny-side up. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Drape one fried egg each over each bowl and add chili oil or chili crisp if desired. Break the yolk over noodles, chicken, and sauce. 

Tip: Here’s one idea for using up leftover ramen seasoning packets from Lucky Peach magazine: Add it to sour cream to make a potato chip dip.

It's Kevin Pang, the recipe developer here. The standard chili crisp for Chinese families is the brand Lao Gan Ma, which you can find online or from an Asian grocer. I've also found ones from Fly By Jing and Momofuku to be quite good (those can be found at Whole Foods).

5 stars for this ginger-scallion sauce alone. Seems like a crazy amount of ginger when you're chopping it, but use the full amount and DON'T skip the fish sauce. Added sautéed cabbage, carrot, and red pepper to the noodles, and swapped ground turkey for the chicken (it was what I had in the freezer, but will definitely be making it again with the chicken in the future).

One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Ginger

One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Ginger 

This one-pot dish was inspired by a dinner of ginger fried rice and garlicky stir-fried greens served at Uncle Lou, a Cantonese restaurant in New York. It’s both mild and full of flavor, which might sound contradictory at first, but it delivers subtle notes of fresh ginger, soy sauce and lime, rather than bold hits in each bite. Serve with extra soy sauce and lime on the side, so that everyone can adjust the seasoning as they would like. Fish out the ginger slices at the end or let everyone know they’re there. 

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons neutral or olive oil

1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin slices

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Kosher salt 

3 large garlic cloves, minced or grated

2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed with cold water

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, at room temperature

¾ pound quick-cooking greens, such as chard, kale or spinach, leaves removed from thick stems, if needed, and cut or torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 packed cups)

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed

2 limes, 1 juiced (about 1 tablespoon juice) and 1 cut into wedges

2 scallions (optional), sliced

¼ packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional), roughly torn or chopped

In a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid, heat the oil and ginger slices over medium-high until the oil around the ginger starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the chicken with salt, then push the ginger to the side. Add the chicken to the pan and let cook, undisturbed, until the chicken starts to brown and easily releases from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. (It’s OK if the pieces of chicken don’t all have color, as it will be crowded.) Stir in the garlic and rice, flipping over the chicken, and cook until the rice is coated with oil and starts to sizzle, about 1 minute.

Add the stock or water, then raise the heat to high to bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up anything on the bottom of the pot. Cover and immediately lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until most of the water has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. During the last 8 minutes, stir to make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom, then layer the greens on top, cover and finish cooking.

Remove from the heat, stir in the soy sauce and juice of 1 lime. Fluff the rice and let sit for 5 minutes, covered. Serve as is, or pull the chicken apart into bite-size pieces. Season to taste with salt, the lime wedges and more soy as needed or serve at the table. Top with the scallions and cilantro, if using.

TIP: I did the sauté in a Dutch oven then added brown rice and other ingredients. Instead of cooking on the stove top, I baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes and all ingredients were perfectly cooked.

*I made it in the Instant Pot and it was very easy. I followed Step 1 then added 3 cups of broth and 1 and 1/2 cups of jasmine rice. I added the soy sauce and then closed the lid and used high pressure for 15 minutes. After venting, I added the juice of 2 limes, scallions and greens and cilantro on top, stirred and then closed the lid for about 15 minutes (Instant Pot was off). Rice was super soft and absorbed all the broth and flavor was so good. Total hit with the family.

*If using brown rice instead of jasmine, soak the rice and water for one hour before using because it needs to absorb more water than white rice or jasmine rice.

Triple Ginger Skillet Cake

Triple Ginger Skillet Cake

This cake, at its best when warm, is full of dark molasses flavor and three kinds of ginger (fresh, ground and crystallized). It can be served with powdered sugar, whipped cream or even ice cream — a drizzle of caramel sauce is especially nice, too.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar

1 cup/240 milliliters molasses (not blackstrap)

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled

1 large egg

2½ cups/320 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¾ cup/180 milliliters whole milk

½ cup/70 grams diced crystallized ginger

Turbinado sugar, as needed, for finishing

Powdered sugar, as needed, for finishing

Heat the oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 12-inch oven-safe skillet with unsalted butter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the remaining butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the molasses, and grate the ginger using a fine grater into the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined, scraping the bowl as necessary, 1 minute more. Add the egg and mix to incorporate, about 30 seconds more.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt to combine. Add half of the flour mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well.

Add the milk and mix to incorporate. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger by hand.

Pour the batter into the prepared skillet, and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the surface with turbinado sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Let cool for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with powdered sugar.

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini

A simple base of aromatic garlic, ginger, bay leaf and turmeric flavors this cozy and nourishing chicken soup. Tender chicken, zucchini and chewy brown rice provide bite and substance, and simmer together at the same pace. The rice will swell and soften in the broth as the soup sits, and you can cook it longer than called for to give this soup more of a stewy or even porridge-like texture, depending on your preference. Add more water or stock to thin the broth as needed if reheating. Serve with a drizzle of chile crisp or a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)

2 tablespoons minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground turmeric 

½ cup brown rice

1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

Chile crisp, lemon wedges or chopped cilantro (or a combination), for serving (optional)

Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Add the oil, ginger, garlic and turmeric and let the mixture sizzle and soften for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add 6 cups water to the pot, along with the chicken, rice, zucchini, bay leaf and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the thighs, then return the meat with all of its juices to the pot. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with any combination of chile crisp, lemon and cilantro.

TIP: I was a little skeptical when looking at this recipe because of the few ingredients! It turned out to be fabulous just as written. I would however wait until about 15 minutes before adding the zucchini as it was pretty mushy! I'll make this again for sure

Soba Noodles With Ginger Broth and Crunchy Ginger

Soba Noodles With Ginger Broth and Crunchy Ginger

This noodle dish celebrates the pungent, spicy notes of ginger by both infusing it in stock to create a warming broth and frying it with shallots and panko to create crunchy ginger crumbs you’ll want to sprinkle onto everything: eggs, rice or even a savory porridge. Feel free to double the amount of the ginger crumbs, if you like; they’ll keep in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to one week. Serve these noodles with your protein of choice — tofu, fish, leftover roast chicken — or any cooked vegetable for a complete meal.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Toppings

6 tablespoons/90 milliliters olive oil

1½ teaspoons red-pepper (chilli) flakes

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger (about 30 grams), peeled and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

¼ cup/20 grams panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon white and black sesame seeds

Kosher salt

For the Broth

2¼ cups/500 milliliters chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger (about 65 grams), peeled and roughly chopped (about ⅓ cup)

1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 small head of garlic, halved crosswise

For the Noodles

7 to 9 ounces/about 200 grams dried soba noodles

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

⅓ cup/10 grams roughly chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

First, prepare the toppings: Add 4 tablespoons oil to a large skillet and heat gently over medium. Place the red-pepper (chilli) flakes and paprika into a small heatproof bowl. Once the oil is quite hot but not smoking, pour it over the spices. Set aside to infuse as you make the ginger crumbs.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high. Once hot, turn the heat back down to medium and add the ginger and shallot. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Add the panko, sesame seeds and ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring often, until nicely toasted. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the broth: Add all the broth ingredients plus ¾ cup/200 milliliters water and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium lidded saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover once simmering, turn the heat down to low and cook for 25 minutes. Drain through a sieve set over a bowl, discarding the solids, and return the broth to the saucepan along with another 1¼ cups/300 milliliters hot water. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.

Prepare the noodles: Boil them in a pot or saucepan according to package instructions, or for 5 minutes in plenty of boiling water. Drain well and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Return the drained noodles to the pot or saucepan and toss with the lime juice, soy sauce and cilantro (coriander).

Divide the warm broth across four bowls, then use a fork to twist and gather the noodles and nest them artfully in the bowls. Top with a spoonful of the ginger crumbs and the chile oil, serving the remaining alongside.