Rice Porridge
Kenji Morrimoto
4
Every culture that eats rice porridge garnishes it differently. Below are some ideas from my home:
Ingredients
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1 cup of rice ( jasmine or short grain are my favourites)
6 cups of water
Aromotics ( optional) ginger etc
Directions
Cook rice porridge in your preferred method - either on the stove in a large pot (on medium/high heat for 45-60+ minutes) or in a rice cooker /device with a rice porridge setting. The exact time depends on your preferred consistency. Feel free to cook it with aromatics, such as ginger, however I often keep it plain to allow the other garnishes shine.
- chilli oil, and a good one, as you have the perfect foil (plain rice) to truly appreciate it
- sweet and vinegar based pickles which can offer crunch and often a variety of colours (think yellow pickled daikon, quick pickled red onions, sliced cucumber pickles)
- fermented vegetables adding funk, umami, sourness, and a range of textures depending on how old they are (think fermented mustard greens, kimchi, sauerkraut, koji-based pickles)
- showstoppers such as a pickled plum or a dollop of miso, to stir in and enjoy.
As you can tell, you can get very creative with this - add in a hard boiled egg for protein, fried onions for more crunch, or fresh vegetables to bring a freshness to the dish. I encourage you to try different culture's versions of rice porridge to learn other methods and ways to appreciate this comforting dish.
