Jook

I first encountered jook, also known as congee, in Hong Kong at dawn after a very long night. I was steered to an anonymous little place, where, I am quite sure, I was not the only person with a headache. It was there that I discovered that this savory Chinese rice porridge was among the world’s best breakfasts, especially after a night of indulgence.

It is transcendent stuff. You might think of it as Chinese risotto, though infinitely less pretentious. It is delightfully creamy, forgiving in its preparation and variable beyond belief.

Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain rice
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water
• 1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• ¼ pound slab bacon, optional
• Soy sauce or salt to taste
• ¼ cup crispy cooked bacon, minced, optional
• ¼ cup minced scallions
• ½ cup roasted peanuts, optional
• Sesame oil for drizzling, optional

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    317 calories; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 17 milligrams cholesterol; 274 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
  Powered by DiningAndCooking.com

6 servings

Preparation

1. Wash rice, and put it in a stock pot with chicken stock or water. Place over high heat until stock boils, then add about 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, and turn heat to low. Partly cover pot, simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary (probably about 2 cups more).
2. Add ginger and slab bacon, and simmer for an hour more or so. Jook should have a porridgelike consistency. If it becomes very thick, add water. When done, jook will be soupy and creamy, like loose oatmeal.
3. Remove slab bacon, and serve jook in individual bowls. Season with salt or soy sauce, then garnish with minced bacon, scallions and peanuts. Drizzle with sesame oil if desired.

2 hours 30 minutes