A soulful bowl-full (smoky chicken and barley congee)
Chicken second courses
Chinese cuisine
I love the soulful satisfaction of a great bowl of porridge. Whether it's chicken or fish, a long process with homemade stock or a simplified version using pre-made ingredients, it is customizable and delicious. While I often make mine with white rice, I wanted to try a whole-grain version; I first tried an unhulled barley I had on hand. I cooked and cooked and cooked it and it never quite got creamy enough. It was delicious, just not porridge-y. So this time I chose a pearled barley and got it to a point where it had just a slight bit of chew and a wonderful, silky sauce. <br /> <br />I chose to make my own broth this time around, which I did the day before I made the porridge. The rest came together pretty quickly. You can certainly use canned stock (I imagine dashi would be a great option), or even pick the meat and simmer the bones of a rotisserie chicken, which adds a nice roasted flavor to the broth. I also added a couple smoked turkey tails that I had found at the Asian grocery store -- they are delicious and ham-like in flavor. I assume they are not that easy to come by, though, so you could use a smoked ham hock instead. <br /> <br />Toppings-wise, you can add just about anything, but I love the sweetness of caramelized shallots, some sesame-garlic spinach, and, of course, a soft-cooked egg.
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