Tết Chicken Rice with Herbs and Fish Sauce Dressing

Chicken and rice

• 700 g Chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
• 30 g Ginger root, firm and fresh
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 900 ml Chicken stock, low salt if possible
• 300 g Jasmine rice

Fish sauce dressing and toppings

• 60 ml Fish sauce
• 2 medium Lime, juicy
• 2 tbsp Caster sugar
• 1 small Red chili pepper
• 1 medium Cucumber, firm
• 4 Spring onion
• 20 g Fresh coriander, fresh and leafy

1. Put the chicken thighs in a large pot with the chicken stock. Slice the ginger and lightly crush the garlic cloves, then add both to the pot.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low so the surface barely trembles. Poach for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
3. Lift the chicken out to a plate to cool slightly. Strain the stock into a saucepan, discarding the ginger and garlic, then measure out 600 ml for the rice (top up with more stock from the pot if needed).
4. Rinse the jasmine rice in a colander under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Tip into the saucepan with the measured stock, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 10 minutes to finish steaming. Meanwhile, shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones.
6. Make the dressing: squeeze the limes into a bowl, then whisk in the fish sauce and caster sugar until dissolved. Finely slice the red chili pepper and stir it through.
7. Slice the cucumber and spring onion, and roughly chop the fresh coriander. Fluff the rice, spoon into bowls, top with shredded chicken, cucumber, spring onion and coriander, then drizzle over the dressing to taste.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.