"Steamed" Chicken and Rice

in a rice cooker, that is.

I chanced upon this recipe a long time ago and found the pictures of the Nasi Tim Ayam tantalizing.  I had bookmarked it, thinking I would soon make it and guess what?  Today is that day!

But I thought that the last step of steaming the dish/es separately was (as usual) tedious and wondered if I could skip it by (modifying/bastardizing and) putting the chicken pieces on top of the cooked rice in the rice cooker instead.

So I tried it out...

Of course it's nowhere as attractive as individual servings but the dish was still yummy!  Especially with a ginger sauce!

I just love the strong ginger-y kick!

My modified (bastardized) version:

Rice part:

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced into matchsticks
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon light soya sauce
1 1/2 cups white rice grains, washed
3 cups chicken stock, more or less, depending on the type of rice

Saute the ginger and garlic in the canola and sesame oils.  When ginger and garlic becomes fragrant, stir fry the rice grains.  Transfer to a rice cooker and add the chicken stock.  Turn on the rice cooker to cook until almost done.  

Chicken part:

600 to 700 grams boneless chicken thighs, sliced into serving pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons light soya sauce
1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 tablespoons shao xing wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced into matchsticks
2 small native onions (shallots)
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon dark sesame oil

spring onions, green part only, sliced into matchsticks

Marinate the chicken thigh pieces in the oyster sauce, soya sauce, sesame oil, shao xing wine and cornstarch mix for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, (in the same pan) saute the ginger, onion and garlic in the canola and sesame oils.  When the ginger, onion and garlic become fragrant, throw in the chicken pieces and stir fry until almost done.  Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Add the partially cooked chicken to the almost cooked rice in the rice cooker.  When done, garnish with sliced spring onions and serve with ginger dipping sauce.

Ginger Dipping Sauce:

about 2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced spring onions, green part only
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
pinch of salt

Mix everything and let stand a few minutes.

Here's hubby's portion, with the spring onions and a little ginger sauce on the side (or top?):

The dish was so fast and easy that I am thinking of making other "toppings" for it - pork, fish, shrimp... or maybe even mixed mushrooms for a vegetarian treat?

Yummmm!