Khao man gai

Step 1: Pull the lumps of fat from the cavity of 3 ⅛ lb whole chicken and keep them for the rice. Use a separate board for the raw bird and wash your hands and tools after handling it.

Step 2: Bring 12 ½ cups water to the boil in a large pot with 1 ⅜ oz ginger, 1 head garlic, 3 coriander roots and 1 tbsp salt. Lower in the chicken breast side down; it should be just covered. Bring back to a bare simmer over a medium heat.

Step 3: Keep the water barely trembling, with only the odd bubble breaking, for 30 minutes. A rolling boil is the classic mistake here: it tightens the meat and tears the skin.

Step 4: Meanwhile, start the rice. Put the chicken fat in a heavy saucepan over a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until it melts, then lift out any crisp bits and add 3 tbsp chicken fat or vegetable oil as needed. Fry 4 cloves garlic and ⅔ oz ginger for 1 minute until pale gold, then add 14 oz jasmine rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the grains turn opaque and glossy.

Step 5: Once the chicken has been simmering for 15 minutes, ladle 560 ml of its broth into the rice. Add ½ tsp salt and 2 pandan leaves, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.

Step 6: When the chicken's 30 minutes are up, turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave it to steep for 10 minutes. Check the thickest part of the thigh: it must reach 165°F (165 °F) and the juices run clear. If not, simmer gently for 5 minutes more and check again.

Step 7: Lift the chicken out, letting the broth drain from the cavity, and plunge it into a large bowl of cold water with 2 ¼ lb ice cubes. Leave it for 10 minutes, then drain and rub the skin with a few drops of oil to keep it shiny.

Step 8: While the chicken cools, make the sauce. Pound 3 cloves garlic, 3 bird's eye chillies and 1 oz ginger to a rough paste in a mortar, then stir in 3 tbsp fermented soybean paste (tao jiao), 2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp dark soy sauce. Taste: salty, sour, a little sweet and sharp with ginger.

Step 9: For the soup, strain about 1 litre of the poaching broth into a small pan. Add 10 ½ oz winter melon or daikon and simmer over a medium heat for 15 minutes, until the cubes turn translucent. Season with ¼ tsp ground white pepper and add 2 spring onions just before serving.

Step 10: Joint the chicken into legs and breasts, then chop through the bone, or slice the meat off the bone, into 1.5 cm pieces. Use a sharp cleaver or heavy knife in one firm stroke so the skin stays on.

Step 11: Press the rice into a small bowl and turn it out onto each plate. Lay the chicken alongside with 1 cucumber and 1 handful coriander leaves, and serve with a bowl of soup and a dish of sauce for each person.