Easy Vegetarian Hainanese "Chicken" Rice Recipe
This Vegetarian Hainanese Rice is a delicious and fragrant side dish made with ginger, scallions, sesame oil, and lime leaves. This recipe is gluten-free and vegan, with a grain-free option!
Servings: 5 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 5 green onion stalks finely sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced or grated
- 2 cups jasmine rice washed and drained*
- 2-3 lime leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp veggie bouillon or use vegan "chicken" bouillon"
- 2 cups water
- 2 pandan leaf strips
- 1 tbsp finely minced lemongrass stalk optional
- To serve
- protein of choice like vegan chicken or tofu
- fresh cucumbers thinly sliced
- green onion diagonally sliced
- chili crisp
Instructions
- Start by preparing your green onion stalks. Remove the roots and then thinly slice the white stems. Using a mortar and pestle, smash your green onion stalks with salt until a paste forms.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add neutral oil and sesame oil. Once hot, add your smashed green onion paste and sauté for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Next add garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute. If using lemongrass, you'll want to add it at this stage as well.
- Add your rice and lime leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring so that the rice is nicely coated.
- Next add your bouillon and stir to incorporate before adding water to the pan. Toss in pandan leaves and bring the entire mixture to a simmer.
- You can finish your rice in the pan by simmering on low heat with a lid partly on, but I like to transfer everything into a rice cooker to finish my rice.
- Once cooked, remove all of the leaves and fluff the rice. To serve, I like to pack it in a bowl, flip it upside down on a plate and garnish with cucumbers and green onion.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- This dish is traditionally enjoyed with Hainanese chicken, which you can substitute for tofu or vegan chicken of choice. Alternatively, enjoy as is or as a side with whatever meal you're eating! The end result is an amazing, much more flavourful substitute for regular rice.
- To make this dish grain-free, you can substitute the rice with quinoa.
- Instead of chicken stock, you can substitute vegan "chicken" bouillon or vegetable bouillon.
- Because you don’t need to boil a whole chicken, the cooking process and cooking time are much quicker than the traditional method. Plus, you’ll only need a skillet and a rice cooker (if desired). No large pot or multiple pans are required.