Chicken Rice Ball

My children love Chicken Rice Ball.  Each time we go back home in Malacca, this will be their choice for lunch.

Chicken Rice Ball is really, the rice mix with some glutinous rice, cook in chicken stock.  When it's cooked and while it's pipping hot, make them into balls the size of slightly bigger than ping-pong balls.  Serve with soft smooth melt-in-the-mouth steamed or boiled chicken, dip in with hot & sour ginger-chillies.  This rice balls originated in Malacca.  The original coffee shop only serves this and the shop is always pack with customers, so much so that sometimes it's impossible to find a seat.  Most times, we have to takeaway. 

It's located at the bank of Malacca River.  I can just eat the rice with the chillies without the chicken..mm..yum yum.  When it became popular, other hawkers replicate the recipe but nothing beats the original.  Here's the photo of the original coffee shop which I found in google.  If you happen to be there, do try this.. it's along Jalan Hang Jebat or you may know it as Jonker Street.

By the way, you see the group of people surrounding the trycicle hawker outside the shop?  Well, that's the best popiah ever!  So, if you go to this shop, you'll get to sample the best Chicken Rice Balls and Popiah!  What more can you ask for.

I usually make the normal Hainanese chicken rice.  Today, I decided to give the rice balls a try since we've not been back home to Malacca for a while now. Hubby's been busy working on weekends and kids are missing this dish.  Not bad for first attempt, if I may say.. :)

The Chicken:
1 whole chicken with skin (without head and feet please) - wash and drain.  Rub with salt all over.
2 pandan leaves (screwpine leaves)
Boil 400ml water in a deep wok.
Once boil, add in the chicken, pandan leave and season with oyster sauce and sesame oil.  Let boil and turn the chicken half-way cooking time and cook until chicken is cooked.
When chicken is done, take the chicken out onto a serving plate and reserve the stock for boiling the rice later.
Cut the chicken into bite sizes and serve with cucumber and tomatoes if you like.

The Rice:
2 cups rice
1 cup glutinous rice
some chopped garlic
a few slices of crushed ginger
a few pandan leaves

1. Mix both rice and wash and drain the rice.
2. In a wok, heat some oil, add a dash of sesame oil, fry the garlic and ginger for 2 mins.
3. Add the rice and fry for 3 mins.
4. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker and add the chicken stock/broth.  Add salt if needed. Put in the pandan leaves and cook till done.
5. While rice is hot, wear plastic gloves, using the ice cream scoop to be consistent with the size, shape it into a ball.  Do this until the rice are all shaped and serve with the chicken and chili.

The Chili:
5-6 Red Chilies
2 inc ginger
10 limes
salt
sugar
sesame oil

Blend together the chili and ginger.  Squeeze lime juice, add the seasonings and a dash of sesame oil.