Jook
A traditional Chinese comfort food, a favorite late-night snack, or breakfast in a bowl - from 'congee' or 'kanji'.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 cup short-grain rice
2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water
1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 pound slab bacon, optional
Soy sauce or salt to taste
1/4 cup crispy cooked bacon, minced, optional
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, optional
Sesame oil for drizzling, optional
Method
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
