Com ga Hoi An – Vietnamese chicken rice Recipe
Fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth, served with shredded meat, herbs and a light cucumber salad. It’s one of the best-known dishes from the city of Hoi An, like our “chicken with rice”, only much more aromatic and colorful. Great for a family lunch, as it’s easy to scale up.
W Hoi An com ga często podaje się z niewielką ilością klarownego rosołu z kurczaka i piklami, a ryż bywa barwiony kurkumą, by nawiązać do słonecznych kolorów miasta.
This dish shows how a simple combination of chicken and rice can become something special thanks to fragrant broth, herbs and a bright, crunchy salad. It’s comforting yet fresh at the same time.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Podsmażenie ryżu na aromatyzowanym oleju przed gotowaniem zapewnia sypką strukturę i głębszy smak.
- Gotowanie ryżu na bulionie z tego samego kurczaka łączy smak mięsa i dodatków w jedno spójne danie.
- Krótko marynowana sałatka dodaje kwasowości i chrupkości, równoważąc tłustość ryżu i kurczaka.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip rinsing the rice – it helps keep the grains separate and fluffy. Taste the broth before adding it to the rice and adjust the salt so the finished dish is well seasoned but not too salty.
How to serve
Serve with extra fresh herbs, lime wedges and a small bowl of chili in fish sauce for those who like more heat. It also pairs nicely with simple steamed greens.
Na co uważać
- Nie mieszaj ryżu podczas gotowania – naruszysz strukturę ziaren i zrobi się kleisty.
- Nie skracaj czasu odpoczynku ryżu pod przykryciem, bo część ziarnek pozostanie twarda w środku.
- Nie gotuj kurczaka zbyt długo; gdy mięso łatwo odchodzi od kości, od razu je wyjmij, inaczej będzie suche.
Zamienniki
- Uda z kurczaka możesz zastąpić całymi nogami lub piersią, ale udka dają bardziej soczyste mięso.
- Ryż jaśminowy można wymienić na inny długoziarnisty ryż, dostosowując ilość bulionu według opakowania.
- Jeśli nie używasz sosu rybnego, zastąp go jasnym sosem sojowym i odrobiną soku z limonki.
Ingredients
- jasmine rice rinsed in a sieve - 300 g
- chicken leg with skin and bone - 3 piece
- water for cooking the chicken and rice - 1200 ml
- ginger piece about 3 cm, sliced - 15 g
- garlic finely chopped - 3 cloves
- spring onion chopped, white and green parts separated - 2 piece
- vegetable oil for sautéing the rice and garlic - 30 ml
- fresh cucumber cut into thin half-moons - 1 piece
- carrot grated into thin strips - 1 piece
- fresh coriander chopped - 10 g
- fresh mint leaves, optional - 5 g
- fish sauce for seasoning the chicken and salad - 30 ml
- salt about 1 teaspoon, for the broth and rice - 6 g
- sugar a pinch for the salad - 5 g
- lime juice for the salad and for serving - 1 piece
- black pepper freshly ground, for the chicken - 2 g
Preparation
- Place the chicken legs, ginger slices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a pot. Pour in 1.2 litres of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone easily.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Strain and reserve the broth – you’ll need it for the rice.
- When the meat has cooled a little, separate it from the bone and shred into thin strips or fibres. You can remove the skin or chop it finely if you like.
- In a bowl, mix the shredded meat with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, the juice of half a lime, a pinch of pepper and half of the chopped green part of the spring onion. Set aside so the meat absorbs the flavors.
- Rinse the rice several times until the water is almost clear, then drain well.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and the white part of the spring onion, and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Add the rice and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until each grain is coated in oil and turns slightly glossy white.
- Pour in 600–650 ml of hot chicken broth (you can keep the rest as a light soup to serve). Bring to a boil, stir, cover and cook over very low heat for 12–15 minutes, until the rice absorbs the liquid.
- Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Then gently fluff it with a fork.
- Prepare a quick salad: in a bowl mix the cucumber, carrot, the remaining green part of the spring onion, coriander and mint. Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, the juice of the other half of the lime and a pinch of sugar. Mix and set aside for a few minutes.
- On plates, place a portion of rice and top with the seasoned shredded chicken. Add a portion of the cucumber and carrot salad on the side.
- Serve with lime wedges and, if you like, a small bowl of warm chicken broth.
Storage
Store leftover rice and chicken separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the rice gently with a splash of broth or water so it doesn’t dry out, and serve with fresh herbs or a quick salad.
Com ga Hoi An reminds me of a Vietnamese version of classic comfort food – familiar, but with layers of aroma from ginger, fish sauce and herbs. It’s a great introduction to Vietnamese cooking for anyone who loves chicken and rice.
