HOI AN CHICKEN RICE – A MUST-TRY DELICACY
A FRESHWAY OF ENJOYING CHICKEN AND RICE
A dish of chicken and rice seems to be common around the world due to the popularity of chicken. However, Hoi An chicken rice, or “com ga Hoi An” in Vietnamese, is definitely one-of-a-kind. This Hoi An speciality has a unique way of cooking, making the dish different from any countries’ chicken rice. From the juicy chicken meat, to the golden steamed rice, they are all flawless and extraordinary. As its name indicates, there is no other place to enjoy this special chicken rice beside Hoi An. It is the speciality of Hoi An cuisine that travelers should not miss.
THE PROCESS OF MAKING HOI AN CHICKEN RICE
As mentioned above, the distinctive flavor of this dish come from its outstanding cooking process. There are two main parts of Hoi An chicken rice, which in combination, create an excellent chicken rice.
How to cook rice
The first part is rice, which was considered as the base of the dish. Firstly, the chef soaks the rice in fresh water from 2 to 3 hours. The purpose of this step is to not only clean the rice but also let the rice absorb water. This makes the rice softer and fluffier after steaming. Then, he drains the water and adds chicken broth to steam. Hoi An people believe that chicken broth is what makes rice’s flavor sweet and unique. In fact, each chef has his own way of cooking rice, which makes their chicken rice competitive. Some Hoi An restaurants may add turmeric for the beautiful golden color, or chicken fat for the rich taste. Whatever the additional ingredients are, the perfect chicken rice should be soft, dry with golden or light yellow color.
How to make chicken
The next part of the dish is the chicken topping. This viral part will determine the quality of chiken rice in Hoi An. Unlike other common ways of cooking chicken like frying or baking, the method for Hoi An chicken is boiling. In order to keep the true chicken flavor, people only add a small amount of spices. Then they shred the meat and mix it with other ingredients such as onions, Vietnamese mint or papaya. The chicken topping of this Hoi An speciality is varies in different restaurants. Each restaurant will have their own recipes. However, tourists can learn the simplest as well as tastiest recipes by joining the home cooking class in the bicycle tour in Hoi An
EXPLORE THE BEST PLACES FOR HOI AN CHICKEN RICE
It is not easy to find the best place serving Hoi An chicken rice. However, tourists will not have to afraid of going to the wrong place anymore with our list below. Travelers could rent their own motorbike to find these places themselves.
- Com ga Ba Buoi (Mrs Buoi chicken rice) – 26 Phan Chau Trinh Street.
- Com ga Ba Huong (Mrs Huong chicken rice) – Sica Lane
- Com ga Ba Minh (Mrs Minh chicken rice) – Phan Châu Trinh Street.
- Com ga Ba Dung (Mrs Dung chicken rice) – Lý Thường Kiệt Street.
- Com ga Ong Xi (Mr Xi chicken rice) – Bá Lễ Lane
Or, tourists could take a tour, such as Hoi An Monkey Mountain and Marble Mountain motorbike tour and ask the tour guide to take them to the best restaurants in Hoi An for chicken rice. What is better than having a wonderful meal after an exciting day of exploring?
