Rice Congee With Chicken

Ingredients For Boil The Rice

• 1/2 Cup Raw Jasmine Rice
• 1 cup Water Adjust for consistency
• 1 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp Sea Salt Or Ordinary Salt

Ingredients For Chicken Congee Soup

• 10 Thai Garlic Or 4 Cloves Chinese Garlic
• 2 Cilantro Roots Or use chopped cilantro stems
• 1/2 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• 8 oz Minced Chicken
• 1 tsp Mushroom Seasoning
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tsp Palm Sugar
• 2 Eggs

Side Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Spring Onion Tops finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Celery Leaves roughly chopped
• 1 Stem Cilantro Leaves roughly chopped
• 1 Spur Chili thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Chili Flakes
• 1 tbsp Crispy Onion
• 1 tbsp Ginger finely julienned
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• Sugar Optional
• Salt Optional
• Pepper Optional

Instructions 

Cooking the Rice

1. Place the rice in a saucepan and add in the chicken stock and half the water.
2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid the rice sticking tot he bottom of the pan. Add extra water or chicken stock to adjust consistency as the rice cooks and if necessary.
3. The right consistency is a matter of taste but the rice should be swimming in a minimum of cooking liquid when finished as more liquids are added with the chicken.
4. If using left over rice then add double the quantiy of chicken stock to rice and heat to a simmer to achieve a similar consistency to that described above.

Making the Soup

1. Pound together the white pepper, coriander root, and garlic into a rought paste using a mortar and pestle.
2. Split the paste into two equal portions, removing one portion from the mortar and leaving the other portion there.
3. Add the minced chicken together with the soy sauce to the paste in the mortar and mix together well to season the chicken.
4. Cook the paste you set aside in a little oil to release the aromo and oils and then add in chicken stock and incorporate, bringing to a simmer.
5. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar and mix well. Simmer for a few minutes and then roll the soft and moist minced chicken into bite-sized balls, dropping them into the simmering soup base.
6. Proceed rolling the chicken and cooking in the simmering soup base for several minutes until the chicken is cooked.
7. When the chicken is cooked through add the rice mixture and stir well.
8. Taste and adjust for salt and sweetness by adding more sugar or more salt. Leave the savory flavour less then you expect your guests to like so they can adjust with the condiments you will serve with the soup.

Condiments for Khao Tom Rice Soup

1. Prepare and serve by adding each item to a small kruang prung serving dish as you prepare them – do this just before serving for freshness.
2. Cut the spur chili into thin rings and add enough vinegar to the serving dish to cover. This is used to adjust acid balance.
3. Cut the top and bottoms from the spring onions to leave the green leaves and slice into very thin rings and serve as is.
4. Add crispy onions into a dish to serve. You can make these by cutting onions and deep frying until crispy but it is much easier to buy shop bought.
5. Cut the skin off a piece of fresh ginger and slice into small sticks about the size of match sticks.
6. Pull the leaves from the celery and chop them roughly.
7. Add some soy sauce into a serving dish to allow adjustment of the savory or umami flavor.
8. Place a teaspoon or so of dried chili flakes into a condiment dish to allow added spice. Note that there is no chili in the soup as served – this is added by and to the pleasure of the diner.