Cantonese Porridge

港式生滚粥

(Gǎng shì shēng gǔn zhōu)

Photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Cantonese Porridge

by Gan Yee Huan

Porridge is a breakfast and lunch staple in many Asian countries, and this Cantonese-style porridge is one of the delicacies commonly found in Dim Sum restaurants.

Cantonese porridge or 生滚粥 (Sang Guan Jook in Cantonese) is a time-honored dish that is easy to make, yet surprisingly appealing. A Cantonese rice porridge should be silky smooth and creamy, with each rice grain adequately hydrated and blossomed. The water content should be fully absorbed by the porridge and separate into two layers. Cantonese Porridge is well seasoned and flavorful on its own, even when not serving with other dishes.

Soak time: 8-12 hours Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 35 minutes Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice, rinsed and soaked overnight • 15 cups water • 2 king oyster mushrooms • 1 packet enoki mushrooms, 100g • 1/2 packet shimeji mushrooms, 100g • 1 sheet fresh yuba (tofu skin), 200g • 1 teaspoon soy sauce • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste • 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning (ground shiitake mushrooms), optional • 1/2 teaspoon sugar • 2 teaspoons sesame oil • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste

Garnish

• 1 stalk cilantro, chopped • 1 stalk spring onion, chopped • 1 thin slice of ginger, cut into strips • 1 piece Chinese long doughnut (youtiao), sliced for garnish • Soy sauce to taste • Sesame oil to taste • White pepper to taste

Directions

• The night before: Rinse the rice twice and drain well.

Transfer to a container and cover it with clean water.

Soak overnight. • Bring 15 cups of water to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the rice. Cook it for 50 minutes to an hour with the lid on but slightly ajar. • Tear the king oyster mushrooms into thin strips. In a bowl, mix the mushroom strips with soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper, set aside to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain. • Chop the fresh yuba and set aside. • Remove the woody bottom of the shimeji and enoki mushrooms and chop roughly. Set aside. • After 1 hour, the rice should be broken down into a thick porridge. Add the marinated king oyster mushrooms, shimeji, and enoki mushrooms as well as the chopped yuba. Stir well, cover, and let cook for 5 minutes with the lid on.

• Season with salt, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, and mushroom seasoning (optional). Stir vigorously for 30 seconds or so to break down the rice even more.

• Serve in bowls, top each bowl with cilantro, spring onion, ginger, and sliced youtiao. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper, and enjoy immediately!