Aunty's Chicken Long Rice
Moa Laiki Loloa·(moh-ah lye-kee loh-loh-ah)
The Backyard Ohana Potluck: Scaling for the Gathering
If mainland America has chicken noodle soup, Hawaii has chicken long rice. Born on the sugarcane plantations of the 1800s when Chinese immigrants shared their traditional mung bean soups with Native Hawaiians, this dish quickly evolved into a non-negotiable fixture at any serious backyard lūʻau. Despite the name, there is no rice in 'long rice'—just delicate glass noodles acting as slurpy sponges for a brilliantly savory, ginger-heavy chicken broth. It scales effortlessly, demands no obscure island produce, and is the absolute perfect palate-cleansing sidekick to a paper plate piled high with Kalua pork and macaroni salad.
Before you start
Never boil the noodles raw directly in the soup.
Boiling bean thread noodles from raw in the pot makes them mushy and clouds your beautiful golden broth with excess starch. Soaking them in a separate bowl of warm water is the essential grandma secret to getting that perfect, slurpy texture.
Ingredients
- low-sodium chicken broth6 cup
- boneless skinless chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
- fresh ginger root1 med piece
- garlic cloves3 large
- soy sauce4 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- bean thread noodles8 oz
- green onions1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Hydrate the delicate glass noodles in warm tap water.
Place the dried bean thread noodles in a large heat-proof bowl, submerge them entirely in warm tap water, and let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes while you build the soup. Once soft, drain the water and snip the noodles a few times with kitchen shears into manageable 4-inch lengths so you aren't fighting foot-long strands at the table.
- 02
Simmer the aromatics and chicken to build the foundation of the broth.
In a large Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, chicken thighs, smashed garlic, thick ginger coins, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a lively boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken is meltingly tender.
- 03
Remove and shred the chicken thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it cool briefly. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces with two forks, leaving the ginger and garlic in the pot to continue perfuming the broth.
- 04
Marry the shredded chicken and softened noodles in the simmering broth.
Return the broth to a gentle simmer and add the shredded chicken back in, immediately followed by the drained, pre-soaked noodles. Stir gently to submerge.
- 05
Cook until the noodles turn completely translucent and glassy.
Let the mixture simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes. The noodles will soak up the savory broth and transition from stark white to clear, leaving a consistency that is saucy rather than watery.
- 06
Garnish with fresh green onions and serve hot.
Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the sliced green onions, and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt or an extra splash of soy sauce if needed. Serve scooped next to a generous mound of white rice and pork.
Notes
Use a spoon to peel your ginger.
Ditch the vegetable peeler. Use the back edge of a standard teaspoon to easily scrape the paper-thin skin right off the ginger root without wasting any of the flesh.
Account for overnight absorption if making ahead.
This dish actually tastes better the next day as the ginger permeates the starch. Store it in the fridge, but keep an extra cup of chicken broth on hand; the noodles act like sponges overnight, so you'll need to splash some extra liquid in when reheating to loosen them back up.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.