Khao Man Gai Mor Houng Khao

Before you start

• Wash the rice thoroughly.

  Place the jasmine rice in a bowl under cold water and swirl the grains with your fingers. Pour out the milky, starchy water and repeat three to four times until it runs completely clear. If you skip this, the chicken fat will mix with excess surface starch and turn your beautiful glossy rice into a gummy paste.

• Whisk together the Nam Jim sauce.

  In a small bowl, combine the fermented soybean paste, sweet dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. Fold in the finely minced ginger, garlic, and chilies. If the brand of soybean paste you bought is overwhelmingly salty, omit the regular soy sauce and thin the mixture with a splash of warm water.

Ingredients

• bone-in skin-on chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
• jasmine rice1 1/2 cup
• neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
• garlic cloves4 large
• old ginger1 med
• cilantro stems3 large
• chicken broth1 3/4 cup
• kosher salt1/2 tsp
• fermented yellow soybean paste3 tbsp
• sweet dark soy sauce1 tbsp
• soy sauce1 tbsp
• distilled white vinegar1 tbsp
• granulated sugar1 tbsp
• fresh ginger2 tbsp
• garlic1 tbsp
• Thai bird's eye chilies3 med
• English cucumber1 small
• fresh cilantro1 small

Method

1. 01

   Sauté the aromatics to build the flavor base.

   Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, ginger coins, and bruised cilantro stems, cooking for about 60 to 90 seconds until the garlic turns golden and the kitchen smells incredible.

2. 02

   Coat the raw rice in the aromatic fat.

   Pour the drained, washed rice into the skillet with the aromatics and add the kosher salt. Toss and stir-fry for two minutes to coat every individual grain in the fat. In Thai kitchens, this 'tightens' the rice, inhibiting starch gelatinization so the grains stay fluffy and separate when boiled.

3. 03

   Transfer the coated grains to the rice cooker.

   Move the fried rice and aromatics into your rice cooker insert and pour in the chicken broth. We use slightly less liquid than standard rice cooking because the raw chicken will release its own juices.

4. 04

   Lay the chicken thighs over the rice.

   Place the chicken pieces flat, skin-side up, directly on top of the raw rice and broth. Do not submerge them in the liquid. Close the lid and press start on your standard white rice setting.

5. 05

   Let the chicken and rice rest undisturbed.

   When the cooker clicks to 'Warm', leave the lid shut for exactly ten minutes. Do not peek. This resting period allows the steam to redistribute, finishing the meat safely near the bone and firming up the rice structure.

6. 06

   Fluff the rice and slice the chicken.

   Carefully transfer the poached chicken thighs to a cutting board and slice crosswise into half-inch strips. Use a rice paddle to gently fluff the oily, deeply fragrant rice, discarding the large ginger coins and cilantro stems.

7. 07

   Serve with the Nam Jim sauce.

   Mound a generous portion of the aromatic rice onto a plate, lay the sliced chicken over the top, and garnish with cucumber slices and a sprig of fresh cilantro. Serve the sauce in a small dipping bowl on the side, spooning it generously over the chicken just before eating.

Notes

• Smart substitutions save weeknight dinners.

  If you can't find Thai Tao Jiew (Healthy Boy brand is the gold standard), Korean Doenjang thinned with a little water or Japanese yellow miso are excellent, highly effective stand-ins. Indonesian Kecap Manis works beautifully as a substitute for the sweet dark soy sauce.