Steamed Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken rice was one of the first meals I cooked using my Varoma. I am a huge fan of Rick Stein and I had made his version of the Hainanese chicken rice before, but I felt intrigued to try it out using my Varoma and the results were absolutely fantastic. It is a great dinner for the whole family and one of those all-in-one meal wonders that totally restores your faith in the Varoma if you haven't been using it for a while. This recipe is originally from my Varoma book Steaming Hot.

1 Tbsp white peppercorns
1 red chilli
25 g garlic cloves
25 g fresh ginger (sliced)
60 g palm sugar
60 g rice wine vinegar
60 g yellow bean sauce (or miso paste)
60 g dark soy sauce
1 pinch sea salt
30 g fresh ginger (sliced) 30 g garlic cloves (sliced)
4 spring onions (sliced)
1.5 kg whole free range chicken
1 pinch black pepper
30 g sesame oil
30 g soy sauce
350 g jasmine rice
2 Tbsp vegetable or chicken stock paste
2 spring onions (thinly sliced)
1 small handfull fresh coriander leaves
1 cucumber (cut into batons)

Place the peppercorns in the mixing bowl and grind 10 Sec. / Speed 10.

Add the chilli, garlic and ginger then chop 2 Sec. / Speed 7.

Add the palm sugar, rice wine vinegar, yellow bean sauce, dark soy sauce and salt then mix 20 Sec. / Speed 9. Place into small individual dipping sauce bowls. Set aside until later.

Place the sliced ginger, garlic and spring onions under the skin of the chicken breasts and into the cavity of ...