Rice Porridge with Pork

The most common combination I have encountered for this savory porridge is lean pork shreds and chopped 1000-year-old eggs, which are duck eggs preserved in lime. The egg white becomes black and gelatinous, and the yolk turns greyish and very strong-smelling. It’s an odd color for a food, but the eggs add a wonderful, almost smoky flavor to the porridge. You can buy the eggs in most Asian markets and keep at room temperature for a very long time. However, if you can’t find them or they just sound beyond your comfort level, you can omit them – the porridge is very tasty as it is, without them (and your heart will thank you – the eggs are very high in cholesterol compared to fresh chicken eggs!)

ingredients:

• 1/4 lb lean pork, cut into shreds (try to find pastured pork – the flavor is amazing, and you’ll be doing a good thing for the environment!)
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1 batch of Rice Porridge

marinade:

• 1 T light soy sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch

method:

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the pork shreds and marinate for at least 10 m.
3. Bring the porridge to a simmer, drain off the marinade and add the pork shreds, and stir gently until cooked through.
4. Mix in the scallion, and serve.

nutritional data:

This recipe serves 4 – the figures below are per serving. I have assumed that approximately 1/2 of the marinade will be drained off. The sodium content of this dish is high, so if you are watching your sodium intake, try to reduce the amount of soy sauce and/or salt used in the preparation of the porridge. You could also reduce the amount of soy sauce used for marinating the meat.

• Total calories 237, calories from fat 20
• Total fat 2 g, saturated fat 1 g
• Cholesterol 17 mg
• Sodium 688 mg
• Total carbs 42 g, dietary fiber 1 g, sugars 1 g
• Protein 10 g

Rice Porridge (Congee)

One of my husband’s favorite comfort foods is rice porridge – zhou in Mandarin, also called congee. It makes a warming breakfast (the kids like it with a sprinkling of sugar), a hearty lunch, and nothing beats it for when you have tummy troubles – we serve it when someone has the flu, and I ate LOTS of it when I had morning sickness!

Zhou served plain for breakfast would be downright boring (Americans on tour groups are often underwhelmed by this offering!), but served alongside it there is usually an array of tidbits you can add to taste: pickles, 1000 year old eggs, etc. You’ll also find a version of Chinese fried dough – long thin sticks called youtiao. These are not sweet, but they are light and airy and delicious, and they are often dunked into the porridge or cut up and tossed on top. If you live near an Asian market, you may well find them in the freezer section – you can heat them up in a variety of ways. They are delicious when made at home, but they involve lots of deepfrying, a method I try to avoid for health reasons, so we tend to reserve them for a special treat when we eat breakfast out at a Chinese restaurant. And there you have it: “Doughnuts” with a Cup of Zhou (aha ha ha)!

Zhou also has a variety of savory permutations, the most common ones probably being with fish slices or with pork and preserved (1000 year old) eggs. You’ll often see these at Cantonese restaurants that serve dim sum. Below I offer the straightforward plain version – variations to follow!

ingredients:

• 1 c white medium-grain rice, such as jasmine
• 7 c water or broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil

method:

1. Rinse and soak the rice for 30 m., then drain away the water.
2. Add the fresh water or broth, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 – 60 m, until the rice is almost completely fallen apart and the porridge is thick.
4. Season with salt, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and serve.

tips and tricks:

This is a great way to use up leftover rice – add 4 c of liquid per cup of cooked rice, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cook 30-45 m, then season.

nutritional data:

I have used water in place of broth for these figures, and I assume that the recipe serves 4. The figures given are per serving. If you’re watching your sodium intake, try cutting down on the salt and/or soy sauce and serve with some really flavorful condiments.

• Total calories 179, calories from fat 5
• Total fat 1 g, saturated fat 0 g
• Cholesterol 0 mg
• Sodium 417 mg
• Total carbs 39 g, dietary fiber 0 g, sugars 0 g
• Protein 3 g

Fried Rice (a.k.a. What’s left over from dinner?)

A great way to use up last night’s cooked rice AND any leftover Chinese dishes if you don’t want to use just veggies. A frequently requested thermos lunch for the kids. This is one of those recipes for which it’s hard to give amounts, so trust your instinct and remember to taste for seasoning.

ingredients:

• extras: frozen or fresh peas, corn, spinach mixed vegetables, ham/turkey/chicken OR leftover bits of stirfries
• butter (yes, butter – not very Chinese, but it works here; if you are trying to cut back on fat, use a nonstick skillet and less butter, but don’t omit it entirely.)
• cooked rice (if it’s lumpy, wet your hands with a bit of cold water and rub rice gently between your fingers to break it up.)
• 1-2 egg(s) scrambled with a splash of water
• light soy sauce
• salt to taste

method:

1. Prepare your extras: frozen and fresh veggies should be cooked, the exception being frozen spinach, which you can defrost and squeeze out; meats should be diced; stirfry leftovers should be chopped small.
2. Heat the wok or skillet over medium heat, then add the butter until it sizzles.
3. Add the rice and stirfry gently to coat with butter, then let it heat through for about 5 m, stirring occasionally.  It’s okay if it gets browned in parts – those are the yummy bits we fight over at our house!
4. When the rice is heated through, add your extras, and stirfry over medium-high heat to heat through.
5. When all is sizzling hot, add the eggs, stirring constantly – the eggs should immediately stick to the rice mixture and cook – I don’t recommend waiting until the eggs brown.
6. When the egg is cooked, splash in soy sauce to taste, then season with salt and serve.

Pan-Asian Noodle Soup

This, a tweaked version of an old Food & Wine recipe, isn’t really Chinese, but it’s one of our quick Asian comfort food meals – definitely filed under QUICK FROM SCRATCH, which is the title of the F&W cookbook where the original, “Shrimp, Tofu, and Spinach Soup,” is found. Don’t let the long list of ingredients deter you – most are part of the broth and require just measuring and mixing in. We tend to make this vegetarian, but you can always add 1/2 lb cooked shrimp, white fish, squid, clams….

ingredients:

• 2 oz cellophane noodles (although we have also had great success with fresh udon, dried or fresh Chinese noodles, and even spaghetti – using their guides for serving size, use 4 servings, although we often make 6-8 portions for 4 of us )
• 8 oz firm tofu – you can use either the drier or the silken version here, our kids infinitely prefer the silken variety
• 1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems saved for making stock and caps cut into strips
• 1/2 lb fresh spinach, rinsed and cut into 1″ wide ribbons (stems can be left on if not tough)
• 2 scallions, cut on diagonal into 1/4″ thick slices

broth:

• 1 T oil
• 1 T fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 qt water, stock, or broth – I usually grab a box of organic free-range broth for this
• 3 T Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam, available in Asian markets or in Asian section of conventional stores
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1&1/2 tsp brown or raw cane sugar
• 3/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp salt (you may want to start without the salt and add to taste – the need for it varies based on your choice of liquid)
• 1/8 tsp dried pepper flakes (or you can serve chopped salted chilies, sriracha, hot oil, etc. to taste at the table)

garnish (optional)

• lime wedges
• cilantro – either chopped or whole leaves with a bit of stem attached
• jalapeno slices, with or without seeds, depending on your heat tolerance

method:

1. If using cellophane noodles, cover them with hot water in a bowl and soften for 15 m, then drain. If using other noodles, cook according to the package directions, then rinse in cold water to remove any excess starch. (I find that pouring the hot broth over the cold noodles makes them just the right temperature for the kids to eat right away.)
2. Cut the tofu into 1/2″ cubes and soak in enough salt water to cover (1 T salt to 2 c water) – this will keep the cubes from falling apart when cooked.
3. In a large pot, heat the oil until it shimmers, turn heat down to medium, then add the ginger and garlic just until they release their fragrance – do not allow the garlic to brown.
4. Add the curry powder, and again cook just until it is fragrant.
5. Add the water/broth/stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
6. Add the mushroom caps, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 m.
7. Drain the tofu and add to the broth, heating gently until it returns to a simmer (a rapid boil will cause the tofu to break up).
8. While the broth simmers, divide the noodles among the serving bowls and top with the spinach.
9. Add the scallions to the broth, give it a quick, gentle stir, then ladle over the noodles.

variations:

• You can substitute dried shiitakes if you first soak them in hot water until soft – the resulting liquid is a delicious addition to the broth mixture, but be sure to strain through cheesecloth or pour so that the grit that sinks to the bottom remains behind.
• If you prefer the spinach more cooked, you can blanch it quickly in the water for the noodles before cooking the noodles: remove the spinach to a bowl of ice water, squeeze it out, and chop coarsely.
• You can use a variety of green vegetables in place of the spinach, but some of them should be first blanched until tender in boiling water then shocked in ice water to stop the cooking process and set their bright color: broccoli (the usual kind or Chinese variety), kale, pea shoots and/or leaves, Japanese spinach, snow peas…. The possibilities are endless.
• Try out a variety of noodles and/or seafood combinations.

do ahead:

You can cook and store the noodles and the broth separately as far as a day or more ahead. Toss a bit of oil with the noodles before storing. Bring the noodles to room temperature and the broth to a gentle simmer before finishing the recipe.

Quick Sesame Noodles

A very child-friendly dish, good for quick weekend lunches or those “I don’t feel like cooking” dinners. I encourage you to play with the type of noodles used – thin, thick, round, flat, just about anything goes, even (in a pinch) spaghetti/linguine/fettucine! If you can find fresh noodles or pasta, that works really well. Only have instant noodles? Toss out the seasoning packet and use the noodles. The toppings are optional but make it a complete meal – you can usually prepare them while the noodles cook.

ingredients:

• 1 lb noodles

dressing:

• 1/4 c sesame oil
• 1/4 c dark soy sauce
• 1 T black vinegar (apple cider vinegar would be okay here)
• 1 T sugar – brown or raw cane sugar is best
• 2 tsp salt – kosher is best

toppings to taste:

• 1 ea Persian cucumber (other types will do just fine, too)
• 10 oz fresh spinach (if you only have frozen, that is fine – thaw it and squeeze it out well, no need to cook)
• 2 ea large eggs (preferably pastured!)

garnish:

• 2 ea scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 T sesame seeds, black and/or white, lightly toasted until fragrant

method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, pour some of the water into a smaller pot for cooking the spinach, then add the noodles to the large pot. Cook according to package directions, OR for Chinese noodles, let the water come back to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.Add 1 c cold water, return to a rolling boil. Repeat the process until you’ve added a total of 3 c of cold water. The next time the water boils, taste a noodle – they should be done. You don’t want the al dente feel of an Italian pasta here – there should be no chewiness left.
2. While the noodles cook, combine dressing ingredients in a bowl.
3. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks.
4. Drop the spinach into the smaller pot of boiling water, shock it in ice water, squeeze it out and cut into shreds.
5. Scramble the eggs, cook in a saute or omelet pan over low heat without stirring until set, flip carefully, cook briefly, then remove to a cutting board and slice into strips. (This is one of the rare instances where I recommend using a non-stick pan!)
6. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking and remove any starch that would make them sticky, then drain well.
7. Combine the noodles with the dressing, add the toppings, garnish, and serve.

do ahead:

If this is not a last-minute meal, it actually improves with refrigeration, making it a great picnic or potluck item. Chill the dressed noodles overnight, then add topping and garnish at the last minute.

variation:

If you like spicy noodles, add chopped salted chilies to taste at the table, or add chili paste (such as sriracha) to taste to the dressing mixture, starting with 1 T.

Basic Steamed Rice

Basic Steamed Rice

It may seem basic, but it’s not so easy to get that nice steamed rice that sticks together enough to eat with chopsticks! The first rule is to avoid minute and converted varieties. Start with a medium-grain rice (jasmine rice is great for this, or just buy medium-grain bulk rice), then as you become more confident, mix in a variety that suits your taste – we like a mixture of equal parts white, sticky (aka glutinous), and brown sticky rice. And some of our friends go in for truly exotic varieties, such as purple, red, black, and even green rice.

In a rice cooker:
Use the measure that came with your rice cooker to add 3 c of rice to the pot (it’s probably about 2.25 regular cups).
Cover the rice with cold water, rub the grains between your fingers, then pour the water carefully out.
Repeat the process.
Fill to the 3 c line with fresh water, then add 1/2 of the measure more of fresh water.
If you have time, let the rice soak for at least 30 m – it can be as long as several hours.
Put the pot into the cooker and turn on according to the appliance directions.
When the cooker indicates the rice is done, let it sit covered for 10 more m. before serving.

In a pot:
Measure 2.25 c of rice into a medium-sized heavy pot that has a lid.
Cover with cold water, rub the grains between your fingers, then pour the water carefully out.
Repeat the process.
Add enough water to the pot so that between the top of the rice and the top of the water is the same as the measure between the tip and first knuckle of your index finger (don’t ask me – it works!)
If you have time, let the rice soak for at least 30 m – it can be as long as several hours.
Turn the heat on high and bring the rice to a boil with the lid on.
As soon as it boils, crack the lid, turn the heat to low, and allow to simmer until the level of the water is even with the top of the rice.
Cover the pot tightly, turn the heat as low as possible, and simmer until the water is absorbed, usually 10-15 m. more.
Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 more m. before serving.

hints:
If you use a mix of brown and white rice in the rice cooker, soak the brown rice much longer – even all day – before adding the white rice and soaking that. The same applies to the exotic varieties – they may take a bit of experimentation.
If you use a mix of brown and white rice in a pot, I suggest cooking them separately, then mixing together once cooked.