Cambodian kitchen · A week of good meals

Bai Muan

Name: Bai Muan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 5 meals, plus extra garlic rice
Cuisine: Cambodian
Ingredients: 3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 thighs); 1 Tbsp kosher salt; 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed and halved; 2-inch knob galangal, sliced into coins; 2-inch knob fresh ginger, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 3 makrut lime leaves; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 10 cups water; 2½ cups dry jasmine rice, rinsed; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Tbsp avocado oil; 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder; 3 makrut lime leaves; 3 cups reserved chicken broth, strained; 2 Tbsp fish sauce; 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 Tbsp sugar; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced; 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced; ¼ cup fresh cilantro; Optional 1 head butter lettuce, for wraps

Tender chicken. Golden garlic rice. That sharp lime-chili sauce. Cambodia’s chicken rice, made for your week.

Also called Bai Mon5 mealsOne pot + rice cooker

5Meals

10Min active

~1 hrCooking

About 10 minutes hands-on, then 30 minutes for the chicken and about 30 minutes for the rice. Allow roughly 70 minutes from start to finish.

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Comfort food, on repeat

Bai Muan is Cambodia’s take on Hainanese chicken rice. The chicken simmers with lemongrass, ginger, galangal and lime leaves. Then that broth goes straight into the rice cooker with garlic and jasmine rice.

Keep the cucumber cool, pack the sauce separately, and you have a meal worth looking forward to. The pot and rice cooker do most of the work. You just put the pieces together.

The pot makes the broth. The broth makes the rice.

Jeremy Sry smiling with a finished Bai Muan meal and four more meal prep containers on the table

A close view of golden garlic rice, shredded chicken, crisp cucumber and fresh cilantro

From my kitchen, for the week ahead · Watch the original reel

Three things that make it

Golden rice.
Bright, fresh finish.

The broth

Chicken, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and lime leaves. Start them cold and let the pot do its thing.

The garlic rice

Lightly golden garlic, jasmine rice and the chicken’s own broth. This is where the flavor lands.

The contrast

Cool cucumber, fresh cilantro and lime-chili sauce. Keep them separate until you eat.

How to make it

Method

Everything into the pot

Rub the chicken thighs with the kosher salt. Put them in a large pot with 10 cups water, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, smashed garlic, 3 lime leaves and turmeric. Start cold. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and skim the foam. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Check the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. Aim for 175°F for tender thigh meat; keep cooking if it has not reached temperature.
Get the garlic rice ready

While the chicken simmers, heat the avocado oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir until light golden, about 90 seconds. Scrape the garlic and all its oil into the rice cooker. Add the rinsed jasmine rice, bouillon and the remaining 3 lime leaves.

Leave the rice cooker off for now. You still need the broth from the chicken.
Pull the chicken. Keep the broth.

Once the chicken reaches 175°F, lift it onto a clean cutting board. Strain 3 cups of the hot chicken broth into the prepared rice cooker. Leave the large aromatics in the strainer.
Let the rice cooker take over

Start the rice cooker on its normal rice setting. Let it cook, about 30 minutes depending on your cooker. When it is ready, fluff the rice and remove the lime leaves.
Mix the lime-chili sauce

While the rice cooks, stir the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the minced garlic and sliced chili. Pack this separately so you can add it when you eat.

Four of the prepared Bai Muan meals with golden rice, shredded chicken and sliced cucumber

The finished meal

A little prep. A lot to look forward to.

Remove the chicken skin and bones, then divide the meat evenly among five meals. Add ¾ cup cooked garlic rice to each.
Pack the lime-chili sauce separately. Keep cucumber cool and add cilantro and optional lettuce when you eat.
Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours. Use the chicken and rice within 3 to 4 days, or freeze portions for later in the week.
Reheat the chicken and rice until they reach 165°F throughout. Add a spoonful of reserved broth to the rice, then finish with the cold vegetables and sauce.

Your food, with a plan