ARROZ DE FORNO COM FRANGO, ESTILO DE MACAU: 焗葡國雞飯

The place seemed quite full, but that was only because several tables near the front were occupied. Once inside, it was apparent that there was enough room. But it was never-the-less busy, and many people were happily enjoying scrumptious food. Surreptitious couples, small family groups, a table full of middle-aged ladies, and one or two large multi-generational family gatherings.

While many people were eating clay pot dishes or yummy noodles, over in the corner a kwailo was snarfing down Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice.
Which is delicious with hot sauce.


葡國汁

Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice (焗葡國雞飯 'guk pou gwok gai faan') is superlative cold-weather food. Hearty, warming, stick-to-yer-ribs goodness. And it is neither Portuguese, nor, despite the characters, Chinese. It's a little of both, and very Hong Kong. A version of chicken rice, with potato, onion, and bell pepper, and a coconut curry sauce on top, shoved into the oven until piping hot.

There is no need for me to provide a recipe, because if the preparation is not instinctive for you, you can find a very good recipe (minus the bell pepper, but including chorizo) simply by typing "Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice" into your search bar. The first thing that should come up is this: "baked portuguese chicken rice (po gok gai fan)", posted on October 26, 2014, by Diana Chan.

Man kann auch ein ausgezeichnetes Rezept finden, durch Fräulein Gracie Hui zu besuchen: Gebacken Portugiesische Huhn mit Reis.

A recipe for just Portuguese Chicken is here: 葡國雞. It is easy and straightforward, like many dishes on the Lee Kum Kee website.


Portuguese Sauce, in the food vocabulary of Hong Kong and Macau, is a simple coconut curry sauce either made at home using coconut milk, chicken stock, turmeric, cumin, and other spices, or available in bottles from Lee Kum Kee and other manufacturers. The inspiration comes more from a South East Asian yellow curry than anything else.
I make my own, using Thai yellow curry paste.

Just as Cantonese food is perfect for Christmas, this odd concoction called Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice is ideal for a quick lunch in the subtropics or tea time eating in the frozen tundras. San Francisco resembles the latter at present, as it is miserable and buggery cold.

The odd concoction hits the spot.

I dawdled over my beverage.

A cup of yuen yeung.

Also very good.




AFTER THOUGHT

My ex would probably like it, and maybe I'll mention it to her. But she'll have to discover it on her own, as our culinary histories have diverged.




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