Chicken Long Rice

 A. Weaver || August 8, 2022


Chicken long rice is frequently and unapologetically assumed to be a Hawaiian side dish, as it is often seen and served at most lūʻau with its delicious counterparts comprising of kālua pig, poi, laulau, and lomi salmon. However, chicken long rice is not Hawaiian in origin, it is a dish of Chinese decent. But how did this dish get to Hawaiʻi?

Chinese (1850)
After the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778, his influence on the Hawaiian Islands would have a lasting impression that would change both Hawaiʻi's cultural and biological environment forever. Many haoles (foreigners) found their way to the islands through the shipping industry. This industry would bring haoles to use the Hawaiian islands as a platform for new economic endeavors. By 1835, the first sugar plantation opened and production exploded. Hawaiʻi’s rich soils created the perfect climate for growing sugar, pineapple, rice, and coffee. As plantations started exploiting pineapple and sugar on a large scale, haole plantation owners found that labor-intensive agriculture required a larger-scale workforce.

In 1850, the first group of Chinese laborers would call Hawaiʻi their home. Chinese workers came to the Hawaiian Islands from Canton to work as contracted laborers on newly established plantations. Between 1850 and 1887, an estimate of 50,000 Chinese traveled to the Hawaiian Islands to work in the fields. The newly established Chinese began to import familiar foods and drinks from their homeland. A combination of fish, herbs, and spices introduced Hawaiians to Cantonese dishes.

Grandma Jackie's Chicken Long Rice
I grew up eating chicken long rice during the holidays at my Grandma Jackie's house. Chicken long rice was the cornerstone of our holiday get togethers, a dish that was all her own. It was not until the her later years that a couple of us grand kids would finally get the recipe. Like many matriarchs, recipes were passed down to other family members, but with one or two ingredients purposely left out. After so many years of sitting and watching her make this dish, it just came second nature to me when it was my turn.

My Grandma Jackie's chicken long rice is not the common chicken long rice that is often seen today. Local chicken long rice is more of a soup base dish consisting of shredded chicken breast, Hawaiian salt, vermicelli noodles, garlic, ginger, as well as green and white onions. My grandma's recipe is a drier noodle dish consisting of that listed above plus a mixture of sherry wine, shoyu, and cabbage mix.


Grandma Jackie's Chicken Long Rice

Recipe makes 8 servings. Total time 1 hour (Prep: 30 minutes/ Cook: 30 minutes). 

Special Cookware: Wok

Ingredients 

  • 1 chicken breast (1/2-inch cubes)
  • 1 package vermicelli noodles
  • 1 cup coleslaw mix
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 tbs sherry wine
  • 4 tbs dark shoyu
  • 4 tbs neutral oil
  • 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
  • 1 tbs ginger (smashed)
  • 1/2 medium white onion (quartered)

Directions

  1. Place a wok on medium-high heat. 
  2. To a large bowl, add vermicelli noodle and cover with warm water. Let stand for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  3. To the wok, add oil, garlic, onions, and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes or until fragrant.
  4. Add chicken to the wok and sauté for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  5. To the hot wok, add the sherry wine, chicken stock, and shoyu. Let the chicken and aromatics simmer for 1 minute.
  6. Remove the hydrated vermicelli noodles and place directly into the wok. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are translucent and soft. Add additional broth if needed.
  7. Add the coleslaw mix and combine with the noodles. Turn the heat off completely (The residual heat will cook the cabbage).
Garnish with green onions and serve.

Hūlō
A. Weaver
Photos by A. Weaver





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Li Hing Mui Pineapple

Image
  A. Weaver || Malaki 26, 2022 This is such a simple sweet treat to make that really celebrates the delicious flavors of Hawaiʻi's beloved pineapple. Li Hing Mui Pineapple is two simple ingredients that make the ordinary, extraordinary. Li Hing Mui Li hing mui is a dried salted sour plum originating from China's Pearl River Delta region. In 1850, the first group of Chinese laborers introduced this dried sour plum to the Hawaiian Islands. Li hing mui has become a local cult favorite snack-slash-treat that is known state wide as crack seed. The Hawaiian Islands are home to many mom and pop crack seed stores that typically sell dozens of varieties and flavors of sweet, salty, and/or sour preserved fruits. Li hing mui is often sold as a red powder that presents a sweet licorice flavor and is a perennial top seller at any local crack seed shop. Li hing mui can be sold in many different forms, such as a dried fruit leather, crushed and turned into a powder (shown above), or sold as w...
Read more

Huli Huli Chicken

Image
  A. Weaver || August 28, 2022 Huli Huli Chicken has to be one of my favorite dishes that is so unique to Hawaiʻi. When I lived on the island of Maui, it was normal to see uncles and aunties to motorcycle clubs sale these delicious birds on the side of the road.  The term "Huli" means "turn" in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language). This term is used in reference to the rotating grills that are used to cook this local style rotisserie chicken. As the story goes, Huli Huli Chicken was created in 1955 by an enterprising poultry farmer named Ernest Morgad (Simeon 2021). From its first introduction in the 50s till today, it has become a local staple and is often sold at football games and stands peppered along the highway. The recipe and cooking method for Huli Huli Chicken varies, however, most tend to use a teriyaki base with the addition of pineapple juice or ketchup to add a slight acidic, tanginess. Cooking Huli Huli varies as well. The chicken can be found either san...
Read more