Recipe: Jook Chicken Porridge

Rice porridge, also known as congee or jook is eaten for breakfast, lunch and late-night snacks. The porridge can be cooked in water or broth and served with bite-sized pieces of cooked chicken, beef, duck or fish as well as a variety of condiments. The favorite condiment served with rice porridge is finely chopped Sichuan preserved vegetable, which adds heat and spice to the quiet flavors of the porridge. The slow cooking transforms the rice into a creamy, thick comfort soup. White cut chicken is sold in Chinese delis that sell roast duck or soy sauce chicken. The chicken is poached in a very unusual style, and should be juicy, flavorful and never dry. There is also a recipe available in The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen. Of course the homemade is far superior to store-bought.

• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 1/4 tsp plus 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 quart homemade chicken broth
• 2 ozs Sichuan preserved vegetable
• 8 ozs White Cut Chicken, store-bough or homemade
• 1 cup finely shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
• Cilantro sprigs

1. Wash the rice in several changes of cold water. In a 2-quart saucepan, soak the rice overnight, at room temperature, in 3 cups cold water with 1/4 tespoon oil. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the porridge is almost smooth.
2. Rinse the Sichuan preserved vegetable in cold water until the red chili paste coating is removed, and pat dry. Finely chop to make about 1/3 cup and place in a small heatproof bowl. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully pour hot oil over the preserved vegetable. The oil will make a crackling sound as it hits the vegetable.
3. Chop the chicken into bit-size pieces. Divide the lettuce among 4 large soup bowls. Ladle the porridge into bowls. Top with the chicken and sprinkle with the preserved vegetable and oil. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.