Rice porridge, sometimes called congee is one of the many
comfort foods which are also available from street food vendors. Rice, being an
easily digestible food, when overcooked into porridge form is also suitable infants
who are being introduced to solid food and those who are feeling unwell.
Its
origins may have been as a peasant food, where a handful of rice can stretch
further to feed a whole family when cooked into a gruel form. These days
however, it has shed that humble image and established itself as traditional, hearty
and tasty home-cooked meal.
The porridge I make is served with spicy dried anchovies and
choy sum in soy.
Ingredients
Rice porridge
1 cup of white rice, washed
3 cups of water
½ teaspoon salt
Anchovy side
100g dried anchovies (cleaned, if using larger variety)
½ onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Choy Sum in Soy
4 heads of choy sum, sliced lengthwise at the thicker stems.
Alternately, you can use pak choy
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Add all the rice porridge ingredients in a pot and let it
cook over low heat. Keep the lid on. The rice needs to overcook until the grains
are very soft. Add water if necessary.
Fry the onions and anchovies in the oil for a minute. Sprinkle
the chilli powder and coat well. Fry until the anchovies are crispy and take
them off the heat.
Sauté the garlic in a pan, immediately add the vegetables and
soy. Simmer for two to three minutes, just enough to wilt the leaves and
tenderise the stems. It should be ready to serve in a minute.
Tuck in and enjoy!
siip mantap.
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