Nong’s Khao Man Gai – Khao man gai
Boiled chicken with white rice may sound like the most boring food in the world, but it’s worth taking a closer look before you pass judgement!
Originally from Hainan, China, Hainanese chicken and rice is a humble dish that features chunks of aromatic, juicy, poached chicken and rice made from the poaching broth. Its popularity has spread throughout Southeast Asia, and each country has its own distinct spin on the dish. My favorite is the Thai version, called khao man gai, and Nong’s Khao Man Gai in Portland, Oregon is perhaps the best place in the US that specializes in making this dish.
Nong’s started out as a tiny food cart and has since expanded into a mini restaurant empire! While they now serve a couple other dishes, the No.1 dish to get is still their namesake: khao man gai. The chickens are closer to the Thai variety in that they are free ranging, on the smaller side, but have a more concentrated flavor with lower water content. Jasmine rice is then sauteed in chicken fat and copious amounts of garlic and cooked with leftover poaching liquid. It could be argued that the whole dish is in actuality a mere vehicle for the amazingly umami sauce, which features fermented Thai soybean paste and fish sauce. If you happen to come in at an opportune time, you might be lucky enough to snag some fried chicken skin and chicken liver to go along with your chicken and rice.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai delivers such a unique experience for Thai chicken and rice that cannot be found anywhere else in the United States and could even surpass the khao man gai found in Thailand itself.
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