Kai kim (twice-cooked sweet-salty chicken)

Put bone-in chicken parts in a pot with water just to cover; add ginger, crushed garlic, optional lemongrass tops and salt.

Poach very gently, no boiling, at 175 to 180F, about 20 minutes until done.

Keep the poaching liquid for cooking rice, soup or serving as broth after skimming the scum.

Cool the chicken until it can be handled (can be done days ahead and refrigerated).

Tear into irregular bite-sized pieces, cutting long pieces with a cleaver.

In a wok, start garlic and ginger in a little vegetable oil from cold so the garlic does not burn.

When the smallest garlic pieces brown, add palm sugar on moderate heat and dissolve it completely, pressing down lumps.

Add the chicken and toss; let it heat through and render some of its fat.

Season with soy sauce, a dash of black soy sauce and black pepper.

Keep cooking until the liquid dries up and penetrates the chicken; once dry, let it sit without stirring to caramelize, flip, and repeat.

Off the heat; finish with chopped cilantro. Taste for salt and add a pinch if needed.

Serve with rice, optionally with the Hainanese chicken rice dipping sauce or on plain congee.