Jook, Congee or Rice Soup.

Rice soup. Sliced ginger is a must. Photo by Jon Canlas.

In my part of the world, the air has turned brisk. People are wearing warm, woolly sweaters and sleeves that touch the wrist. Socks and lace up shoes are replacing the gladiator sandal and scarves actually look like an appropriate seasonal accessory. Autumn is knocking on my door, and I cannot wait to usher it in.

In anticipation of the changing climate, I have been cooking a lot of soup lately. One particular kind actually. A meal my mom would make on cold days filled with indoor play. Rice Soup, as my sister’s and I called it, was a household’s family favorite. It’s also known as Jook, or Congee, but we called it like we saw it.

Rice Soup popped up at our table whenever a day turned cold, or a tiny nose started to sniff. No chicken noodle for us sick girls. When the flu season settled in, Mom chased it away with this hot porridge of creamy rice and salty condiments. You see, it’s the extra additions that really make the soup. The beauty of this meal is that it suits itself to your own preferences. You start with a basic bowl of soup—a fine canvas for your taste buds.  Throw some color in with yellow lines of egg omelet. Add texture with fried crispy shallots. Some spice with a pinch of red pepper. Then, for some flourish, add in boldness of fish sauce.

I make this dish with uncooked rice. The rice simmers slowly in the broth, gently releasing the starch to leave your soup creamy and thick. Oh, this really is so very simple to make. Take a cup of uncooked rice, boil it for an hour. Add your toppings. That’s it.

Like I’ve mentioned before, it’s your personal touch that makes Rice Soup special. I like mine with a generous helping of fish sauce. Heaps of spicy hot ginger give it some kick and fried garlic and shallots add flavor and crunch. A few dashes of white pepper completes my dish.

It warms you up right pass summer, and straight into fall.

Rice Soup
Serves 8

1 cup of uncooked rice
2 quarts of water, or 8 cups
1 quart of chicken stock, or 4 cups

Suggested toppings: (optional)
fish sauce (this isn’t optional. This is a must.)
white pepper
sliced ginger
fried garlic
fried shallots
cooked shrimp
cooked ground pork
sliced green onions
sliced egg omelet
cooked chicken

In a large stock pot, boil the rice, water and chicken stock over medium heat. Keep covered for 30 – 45 minutes or until the porridge is bubbly and about to boil over. Then turn the heat down to low, and partially cover the pot with only half the pot lid. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until the soup is thick and creamy, and the rice is soft and expanded. Remove from heat and finish off the soup with fish sauce and desired toppings.