$15K ‘Oil Shower Chicken Machine’ Cooks Birds To Juicy Shiokness At New Chicken Rice Stall
Inspired by how Cantonese-style ‘roast’ chickens are cooked, by ladling them with hot oil, this Singaporean created a machine to do the job in 22 minutes. Cloaked with crisp skin, his chooks are one of the better ones 8days.sg has tried.
Hainanese chicken rice stalls are a dime a dozen in Singapore, but none does roast chicken quite like Ji Xiang Ji, a week-old joint at a Bedok coffee shop.
Unlike the typical hawker-style roast chicken — which is often just deep-fried (yes, “roast” is a misnomer) — the stall’s signature chook is cooked in a custom-built “oil shower chicken machine”, the brainchild of its towkay, Andy Tan, 59.
Here, the process is on full display for customers: raw chickens are dunked in oil to cook through, then rotated in a glass chamber as hot oil “rains” over them, crisping the skin to a golden-brown sheen. The entire process takes roughly 22 minutes from start to finish.
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Boss runs kitchen equipment business
Andy isn’t a trained engineer. He ran an employment agency for 15 years before starting Green Smart, which specialises in energy-saving commercial kitchen equipment, in the mid 2010s.
“I used to run an employment agency, so I know there is a constant manpower crunch in F&B. Many Singaporeans don’t want to work in this line, so I started this company to supply energy-saving, automated equipment to businesses,” Andy tells 8days.sg.
He’s constantly coming up with smart innovations and some of his creations such as automated poached chicken and porridge cookers are already used by well-known eateries (he declines to name them on record).
Inspired by Cantonese cooking technique
The oil shower chicken machine is the first of its kind in Singapore. It’s designed to replicate the traditional cooking method for Cantonese-style roast chicken ling you ji where scalding hot oil is repeatedly ladled over a chicken to crisp its skin while keeping the flesh juicy.
The process is labour-intensive and dangerous, which is why few cooks still do it, Andy notes. His machine, which looks like a large glass microwave oven, automates the process, cooking up to six birds at a time.
“With this machine, you will always get consistent results. Staff just follow SOP and press a button. It’s safer, efficient, and consistent,” he says.
Two and a half years in the making
Developing the machine was no easy feat. As there was nothing like it on the market to reference, Andy had to start from scratch. He worked closely with his China-based business partner, an engineer, to design the machine.
“We are not in F&B, we don’t know what the oil temperature should be or how long we should fry the chicken. We asked some clients for advice and slowly made tweaks,” shares Andy.
R&D took about two and a half years and cost roughly $80K. The current unit at Ji Huang Ji is their second prototype.
“The first one didn’t ‘shower’ the chickens evenly, and steam kept fogging up the glass so we couldn’t see it cooking. This one, you can watch the whole process,” he says.
Opened chicken rice stall to market his machine
Andy never intended to go into F&B. His aim of starting Ji Xiang Ji was to use it as a showroom of sorts to market his oil shower chicken machine.
“It will not be easy to find someone to use my machine, so why not start a chicken rice stall myself, and I do my demos here. Let potential customers come to me, it’s easier. I don’t need to spend so much time on sales talk,” he explains, adding that he spent about $45K to set up shop.
Each machine retails for around $15K
The machine can also be adapted for duck or even roast pork “with a bit more R&D and customisation”. He estimates it will retail for around $15K, though he prefers a lease-to-own model. “We will include servicing and maintenance. After three years, it’s yours,” he says.
While there haven’t been sales enquiries yet, the “oil-showered chicken” has drawn curious customers and feedback has been positive. “Customers say our roast chicken is juicier and more tender than most stalls’,” says Andy.
The menu
Besides roast and poached chicken, Ji Xiang Ji also offers house-roasted char siew, roast pork (siew yoke), Cantonese-style century egg or cuttlefish porridge ($4), and curry chicken noodles ($5.50).
Chickens go for $15 for half a bird and $30 for a whole, while rice sets, all served with Hainanese-style chicken rice grains, start from $4 with a bowl of soup of the day included.
Former Roast Paradise hawker cooks here
All the cooking is done by 56-year-old Ah Soon, a veteran roast meat shifu with over three decades of experience. He came out of retirement — after a final stint at popular Old Airport Road Food Centre hawker stall Roast Paradise — at Andy’s request.
Roast Chicken, $15 for half (8 DAYS Pick!)
We prefer roast chicken over poached ones, and this is easily one of the better versions we’ve had. Ji Xiang Ji uses fresh Malaysian chickens weighing about 2kg and the birds are cooked in small batches throughout the day. Fresh out of the machine, the skin is crisp, though not super crunchy like Chinese restaurant-style versions. For maximum enjoyment, eat it hot as the skin softens quickly once it cools.
Marinated with five spice powder, star anise, garlic and hua diao wine, the chicken is flavourful and we love how juicy and tender the meat is, even the breast.
The rice, cooked in chicken broth and pandan leaves, is fragrant and not greasy, shiok when paired with the piquant and sharp chilli. But the highlight is the “Hong Kong-style ginger sauce”. Chunky, punchy, and studded with green onions, it is reminiscent of the dip that comes with samsui chicken.
Our chicken rice also comes with apple and carrot soup, which is sweet and homely. There are four soups on rotation, including salted vegetable and peanut, which are refillable for free.
Poached Chicken Rice, $4
The poached chicken, drizzled with sesame oil and soy sauce dressing, is well-cooked too. The chook is supple and tender, with a nice layer of gelatin on the underside of the skin. A solid option if you prefer the classic style.
Char Siew Rice, $4 (8 DAYS Pick!)
Ah Soon’s specialty shines here. His pork belly isn’t marinated, but brushed with a glaze of hoisin, plum sauce and sugar during roasting. The result is char siew that’s nicely caramelised, fatty and moreish, if a touch sweet. We would have preferred the slices a little thicker for a meatier bite.
Curry Chicken Noodles, $5.50
A hearty option, this bowl comes brimming with tender chicken, tau pok, potato chunks, bean sprouts and fish cake slices. Made with house-made spice paste and chicken stock, the curry is rich, savoury and mildly spicy — comforting without being too rich. Also delightful is biting into bits of ikan bilis in the gravy. Available with thick or thin bee hoon.
Bottom line
Ji Xiang Ji may have begun as a “showroom” for a quirky kitchen invention, but its yummy offerings make this a chicken rice stall worth seeking out. The “oil-showered chicken” may sound gimmicky, but it delivers — tender, flavourful, supported by fragrant rice and piquant condiments. If you can spare the wait, we recommend ordering half or a whole bird, cooked fresh so you can savour the skin while it’s still crisp. The other dishes like char siew and curry chicken noodles are well-executed too.
Ji Xiang Ji Hainanese Chicken Rice is at #01-435, Blk 204 Bedok North St 1, S460204. Open daily from 9am to 7pm. For orders, call or WhatsApp 8455 9069.
Photos: Dillon Tan
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
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