INGREDIENTS
Chicken
½ cup water
½ cup brown rice, washed
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 Kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon XO sauce
1.5kg organic chicken
XO sauce
25g dried scallops, soaked in 125ml hot water until plump (approximately 6 scallops)
75g dried prawns, soaked in 125ml hot water until plump
250ml vegetable oil
75g garlic, finely chopped
75g red shallots, finely chopped
100g Jamon, finely shredded
25g fresh long red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
15g dried long red chillies, seeded, soaked and finely chopped
7g dried birdseye chillies, finely chopped
5g shrimp paste (belacan)
1 teaspoon caster sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons dried shrimp roe, crumbled (optional)
¼ cup grapeseed oil
METHOD
Chicken
- Place the rice and water in a solid steam tray and steam at 100˚C for 25 minutes, remove and leave to cool.
- In a bowl, combine the rice with ginger, garlic, lime leaves and XO sauce.
- Rinse and dry the chicken with paper towel. Fill the cavity with the cooked rice mixture.
- Rub the chicken with salt and place in a solid steam tray and steam at 100˚C for 45 minutes. Baste with juices and cook for a further 10 minutes. Test if the chicken is cooked by placing a skewer in the thickest part of the chicken, if juices run clear the chicken is cooked. Rest chicken for 5 minutes before cutting into portions.
XO sauce
- Place 2 x 200ml glass jars on their side on the rack and steam at 100˚C for 15 minutes to steralise the jars. Leave in steam oven to keep warm.
- Wrap shrimp paste in a little foil parcel. Heat a fry pan over medium heat, Induction setting 5-6 and dry fry the foil package until the shrimp paste is fragrant.
- Drain scallops (reserve liquid), pat dry on absorbent paper, tear scallops into fine shreds and set aside. Drain prawns (reserve water), chop finely and set aside on absorbent paper.
- Heat half the oil in a wok over medium heat, add scallops and deep-fry until very crisp (cover with lid as they may spit). Drain on absorbent paper.
- Add remaining oil, and cook over medium heat, Induction setting 6-7 until hot.
- Add garlic, shallots and dried prawns. Stir constantly until dark golden in colour (approximately 10 minutes).
- Add Jamon, fresh and dried chilli, cook for a few seconds (being careful as it may burn easily), add shrimp paste, fried scallops and reserved scallop and prawn water with the sugar. Continue to cook until the liquid has completely evaporated (30 minutes approximately). Remove from heat, blitz in a food processor until not quite a puree, adding some of the grapeseed oil if required.
- Place the solids into sterilised jar. Seal and label for storage.
To serve
- Cut the chicken into small portions (Chinese style) and serve with XO sauce.
Hints and tips
- Soy sauce may be brushed over the chicken for a golden appearance.