Chicken Rice

It is high time I addressed the blessing of Hainanese Chicken Rice. This is now my 'go to' meal for hawker dining. You can just about bet your gluten free cookies on finding at least one Chicken Rice shop in every Hawker Center or food court you visit. Chicken Rice shops offer a choice of steamed or roasted chicken, sliced atop a generous helping of rice that has been cooked in chicken stock. It is important to note that the stock is usually made on premise, as well trained Coeliacs are used to avoiding stock at all costs since packaged stock liquids and powders usually contain gluten. As a friend of mine put it - 'why would they go and buy the powder when they have all the chicken they need to make natural stock right there'? Good point, and it is a safe bet for the local HDB food courts and hawker centers. You should be paying between $1.20 and $4.00 for a plate of Chicken Rice. If you find yourself paying more, that's when you should start asking questions about the stock they use, as at that price they may be affording the store bought variety. I tend to stick to the steamed chicken as sometimes trying to ask about any sauces on the roast chicken can confuse the situation. Be sure, though, that you first watch them prepare a dish for someone else. If they add a sauce on top, (which not all do), be sure to ask them for 'no sauce'. You can usually get a plate of steamed bok choy on the side but in this case be sure to tell them 'no sauce' as this usually comes heavily loaded with oyster sauce.You may have to pay close attention when they are preparing yours and stop them from adding the sauce as these guys make plate after plate after plate of the same dish every day and the habit can be heavily ingrained. It is worth pointing out that eating at Hawker stalls is generally safe in Singapore from a hygiene point of view. If you are worried after a bad experience somewhere else in South-East Asia, check for a sign about A3 size that shows the cleaning and food hygiene rating that stall has been given - A, B, or C, with A being excellent, B being good and C being 'needs improvement'. Any lower than that and they get shut down.

Chicken Rice at Eunos