Though endless versions of savory rice porridge (also known as congee) exist worldwide, I know this dish by its Cantonese name, jook. On Sundays my grandmother would make a big pot for the family, with chicken or pork, but sometimes beef, or even seafood. Feel free to add more garnishes like soy sauce, fish sauce, fried shallots, or roasted salted peanuts to spice up this dish.
Yield: 6 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Total: About 25 mins, plus 1 hr cooking time
Ingredients (9)
- 6 cups water
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken legs or thighs, skin removed and trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, skin on and sliced into 4 pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Pinch freshly ground white pepper, plus more as needed
- Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except the cilantro and scallions in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice has completely broken down and the mixture is creamy, about 1 hour.
- Turn off the heat and remove the chicken to a cutting board. When it’s cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the cartilage and bones. Return the chicken shreds to the jook. Stir to combine, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro and scallions.
