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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Chao/Congee/Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese/Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg)

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 1

After I got back from the Pasadena Wine Festival, oldest nephew's childhood friend was camped out in my living room, catching up online and doing laundry. Lil' sis and oldest nephew weren't coming to pick him up until the next day since we were going to Fogo de Chao - Beverly Hills for DineLA. A few hours later, jetlag finally caught up with him and the snores were so loud that I couldn't even hear the television, so I retreated to my bedroom.

I figured he'd probably wake up in the middle of the night hungry, so I decided to make rice porridge for him. I've never met anyone who likes rice porridge as much as he does. He likes bland foods he says and can happily eat rice porridge every day for every meal. In fact, I made a 5-quart pot, left a note beside his glasses telling him there was rice porridge on the stove, and went to sleep. At 1 a.m., he woke up and ate three big bowls. He then ate another bowl for breakfast. And happily took home the quart-sized container of leftovers.

I've made Chao Hot Vit Bach Thao (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Preserved Duck Eggs) before, but it's been three years and this recipe has ground pork added. So, you know, a new post is required, right? :)

Lil' sis, who doesn't quite get the whole appeal of rice porridge either, said she tried making it once, but it didn't turn out right. Didn't turn out right? How can you mess up rice and water? I generally do a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice, and add more if necessary. I usually end up adding more water, but prefer to do it in increments as the porridge cooks instead of all in the beginning. Not that this requires close monitoring at all, but if you want more control over the consistency, it's better not to add too much water in the beginning.

The ground pork provides a slightly more nuanced broth than just water. The preserved duck eggs at the end add just a touch of saltiness. How thick you want your porridge is entirely up to you.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 2


Chao/Congee/Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese/Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg)

For a 5-quart pot, you'll need:
1/4 lb ground pork
2 cups jasmine or any kind of rice
Water
1 tsp salt
2 preserved duck eggs

Saute 1/4 lb ground pork in the pot on medium-high heat until the meat is mostly cooked, breaking it into little pieces if necessary.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 3

Then add two cups of rice and lightly saute until the rice has absorbed all of the pork juices.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 4

Add about 4 cups of water, or enough to cover the rice by at least an inch. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with a vented lid, and let simmer.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 5

After about 45 minutes, most of the water will have been absorbed.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 6

Stir up the soup and see if you like the consistency. If not, add more water. I added another 2 cups to this and let it simmer some more while I chopped the duck eggs.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 7

Preserved duck eggs, which are sometimes called 100- or 1,000-year-old eggs, aren't really that old. They're preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, and lime. They are often sold in packs of half a dozen for less than $2. They are very salty so just two eggs is often enough to flavor a whole pot.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 8

Add the chopped duck eggs into the soup.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 9

Give it a stir. Taste and add salt if necessary. Cover the pot and let it simmer some more.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 10

I like the duck eggs to be well incorporated, so it was another 45 minutes on the stove.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 11

Finally! Ready for eating.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 12

A close up of the pork and duck eggs in the soup. You can add grated ginger or chopped scallions if you wish, but I like this just fine as is.

Chao  Congee  Jook Thit Heo Bam Hot Vit Bac Thao (Vietnamese  Chinese Rice Porridge with Ground Pork and Preserved Duck Egg) 13

Enjoy!

Other rice porridge recipes:
Chao (Vietnamese Rice Porridge)
Chao Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Rice Porridge)
Chao Hot Vit Bach Thao (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Preserved Duck Eggs)
Chao Oc (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Clams)

*****
1 year ago today, Dismantling Camp and Leaving Rockaway Beach - Oregon.
2 years ago today, Rau Den Luoc (Vietnamese Boiled Amaranth Leaves).
3 years ago today, on the yin and yang of food, traditional Chinese medicine, and eating bird spit.

9 comments:

  1. Mm, I love jook! My parents would rather get it from restaurants since they give you a lot more stuff in it, but my mom would make a very plain version for me if I wasn't feeling well.

    My favorite homemade kind is made with the turkey carcass after thanksgiving. Man oh man the turkey flavor plus the meat and the cartilage is one of my favorite things in the world and when I make and eat it, it's what makes me feel like the holiday season has started. :)

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  2. Yum. I get a hankering for those eggs now and again and chao is the perfect vehicle. Hadn't considered sauteeing the rice with the pork -- good idea!

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  3. My mom makes this the same way you do too, but I usually add some chicken broth for a little bit of extra flavor & 6 of the eggs! I'm glad you put this recipe up as its one of the quick & easy recipes I go to when I'm sick!

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  4. I'm just gaining familiarity with some of these ingredients. I've been making Jook in my crock pot. Love the Preserved duck eggs but, confused as to how long they stay good and whether or not they should be stored in the refrigerator?

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  5. sauteeing pork with the rice... brilliant! kind of reminds me of making hainanese chicken rice

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  6. Ooooh my grandmother used to make this in her rice cooker, except with shredded pork instead of ground pork. She also didn't saute the rice, but I think that would add a lot more flavour to it. It's the only way I would eat century eggs when I was growing up! She'd also actually add a little ginger to it too - ginger shreds, just so it would have a bit of a kick to it.

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  7. Dragonkiri,
    Yup! I made it with leftover turkey bones and meat too. Just haven't blogged it yet.

    Nikki,
    This is the only recipe I know with the duck eggs. :)

    Phuong,
    Six eggs. Whoa!

    Saluki,
    I think they're pretty much good all the time. I've stored them at room temperature and in the fridge and don't notice any difference. And they last for months and months.

    Demeter,
    Yup. That's where I got it from.

    Shuku,
    It's the only recipe I know of for century eggs too. :)

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  8. Thanks a lot. It looks so yummy. I like its fresh look & simple like that :)

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  9. Diemmi,
    I like my chao pretty simple too. Afterall, usually when I eat it, it's because I'm feeling sickly.

    ReplyDelete

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