Yvonne's 'Hainan Chicken Rice'

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This is a classic Chinese dish that originated in Hainan in China, but has been brought to many of the countries in south-east Asia. It is hugely popular in Malaysia and be found sold on many street corners.

A few components are necessary to make this dish complete; boiled chicken chopped into thick chunks, rice cooked with chicken stock and oil (or butter will help the rice turn a yellow colour) and shaped into a dome by turning a bowl of rice upside-down onto a plate, slices of refreshing cucumber and a dipping sauce, such as chilli sauce or dark soya sauce.

Chicken rice is a beautifully balanced meal that can definately take you back to times spent sitting in busy restaurants sharing lunch with family and friends. It is time consuming to make and is not usually made in the home; only here in the UK where it cannot be so readily be bought, is it cooked every so often as a treat. As an added bonus, Yvonne's husband likes to add his own touch to the dish by making a fragrant shallot side to accompany the chicken; a recipe passed down from his uncle.