Turmeric-Coconut Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3-inch piece ginger, sliced
• 1 jalepeño chile, sliced
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground tumeric, dry or fresh
• 1 tablespoon sugar, preferably raw sugar
• 1 tablespoon kecap manis
• 1 tablespoon half-sharp paprika
• 2 pounds chicken, bone-in, skin-on, preferably dark meat
• Salt
• 4 heads baby bok choy, or 4 cups of another quick-cooking green
• For topping:
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 shallots, sliced thin
• 2 bunches scallions, sliced thin
• 1 jalepeño chile, sliced thin
• For garnish:
• 1 large cucumber, seeds removed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• Cilantro, roughly chopped
• Sriracha or chile-garlic sauce
• Freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

1. Put the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it until the water looks clear. Transfer it to a bowl, pour in enough water to cover it by several inches, and set it aside.
2. Combine the coconut milk, ginger, jalepeño, turmeric, sugar, kecap manis, and paprika in a large heavy pot. Cover the pot and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer, then let it steep there for 10 minutes.
3. Season the chicken generously with salt. Add it to the pot, cover again, and keep it at a bare simmer for 1/2 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Lift the chicken out and let it cool. Pour the broth through a strainer to catch the pieces of ginger and chile, then leave the broth undisturbed until the fat rises so you can skim it away.
4. Drain the soaking water from the rice, and rinse the rice once more until the water is clear. Pour the coconut broth back into the pot, stir in the rice, and add water until the liquid stands 1/2 inch over the rice. Cook over medium-low heat, adding more water if necessary; too much water is safer here than too little. Once the rice is done, fold in the bok choy, then cover the pot so everything stays warm.
5. When the chicken has cooled enough to work with, pull it off the bone and tear it into large pieces. Throw away the skin. Arrange the chicken with space between the pieces in a single layer in an oven-safe skillet or on a sheet pan, then broil until the surface crisps. Watch it closely so it does not burn.
6. Heat the oil in a separate skillet over high heat. Add the shallots, scallions, and jalepeño, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant, wilted, and a little crisp. Set aside.
7. For serving, spoon the rice onto a plate or into a wide, shallow bowl. Add the chicken, followed by the shallot-scallion mixture. Tuck in cucumber slices, drizzle with sriracha and lime juice, and finish with cilantro.