Clem's Singapore Hainan Chicken Rice Paste
 
 
 

The iconic Singapore Hainan Chicken Rice does not come from Hainan Island. The reference to Hainan is thought to be most likely due to the dish arising from the Hainanese diaspora in Nanyang (Singapore/Malaysia) who made a culinary copy of Hainan's own iconic Wenchang Chicken.

I have had the opportunity to try Wenchang Chicken on Hainan Island itself (http://clemkuek.com/photoalbum/photo794.html) and although it looks very similar to the Nanyang Chicken Rice, it is nothing like it (Wenchang chicken is much tougher and it and the rice is less aromatic). I think that it is quite appropriate to call the Nanyang dish Singapore Chicken Rice (without the reference to its origin) because the red dot version is very different and iconic in its own right.

Apart from the gentle poaching of the chicken in Singapore Chicken Rice, the key to a satisfactory taste overall is the cooking of the rice with an aromatic paste (the dish is not eaten with plain rice). These days, there are many brands of chicken rice paste to chose from in Asian grocery stores. But you can easily make your own and one which has the exact taste of your preference.

Here is how I prepared a batch for whenever I want to cook Singapore Chicken Rice.
 

INGREDIENTS (for one serve)

  • 125 g ginger
     
  • 80 g garlic
     
  • 60 small onions (Shallots; Bombay; or Red Onions)
     
  • 30 - 40 g chicken fat
    It is definitely worth using chicken fat as it adds extra flavour to the dish.
    Each time you cook chicken, store away fat trimmings until you have enough to render the fat in one go for later use.
     
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
     
  • 3 - 4 Pandan leaves
     
  • Condiments e.g. fish sauce; MSG; chickens stock powder

 

METHOD

  • Blend the ginger, garlic, onion with some if not all of the oil and fat (use all of it or reserve some from frying later.
     
  • Gently fry the blend using all the oil until the blend changes into a darker colour (your choice of how dark). During the frying, add in the pandan leaves. Cut the latter into manageable lengths but remember that you are going to remove them after the frying.

    The frying turns the ingredient from raw-tasting to being aromatic in nature and so is an essential step.
     
  • Add your chosen condiments for final taste.
     
  • When done frying, remove the pandan leaves and let the paste cool down before spooning in a clean glass jar. Store the paste in the refrigerator - it will keep for weeks since it is cooked. For longer storage, you may want to freeze aliquots of the paste in plastic containers.
     
  • When cooking chicken rice, for each cup of rice, add a few heaped teaspoonfuls of this paste when the rice is being cooked.
     
  • Now you have your very own Singapore Hainan Chicken Rice paste just as good as store bought (this is quite expensive these days)!
     
  

Clem's Singapore Hainan Chicken Rice Paste
 
 

 

ENJOY!!



 

www.clemkuek.com

 

09 September 2026
 

Cooking by Clem: https://clemkuek.com/photoalbum/photo696.html
 

Video presentations can be found here:

Earlier Days: https://youtu.be/BWyHY1h9Y5s

Recent Past: https://youtu.be/PL9wWSI_Dfw

More Recently: https://youtu.be/nk6O2tGJ5pk

 



Created by Clem Kuek