Soul Food

Porridge is so simple and rustic that it’s often overlooked. The chefs at Intercontinental Singapore share their recipes for this ultimate comfort food.

ABALONE AND CONPOY CONGEE
By Kwan Yiu Kan, executive Chinese chef at Man Fu Yuan, Intercontinental Singapore

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
3 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
¼ cup glutinous rice, rinsed
2 litres water 4 tsp cooking oil
2 abalones, sliced
3 dried scallops, soaked for 30min and shredded
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 knob ginger (3cm long), peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp chicken stock powder
½ tsp salt

To garnish:
1 sprig coriander, chopped
2 sticks you tiao (fried dough fritters), cut into pieces
4 wanton skin, deep-fried and cut into
2-cm strips

DIRECTIONS
1 Place the jasmine rice, glutinous rice, water and oil in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring every 30min to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot.

2 Stir in the abalone, dried scallops, spring onions, ginger, chicken stock powder and salt. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then simmer for 10min over low heat.

3 Top with coriander, you tiao and fried wanton skin.

SHA TIN CHICKEN CONGEE
By Kwan Yiu Kan

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
3 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
¼ cup glutinous rice, rinsed
2 litres water
4 tsp cooking oil
½ chicken, bones removed, diced and parboiled for 5min
2 tsp chicken stock powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

To garnish:
3 dried scallops, soaked for 30min and shredded
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
2 sticks you tiao (fried dough fritters), sliced thinly
4 wanton skin, deep-fried and cut into 2cm strips

DIRECTIONS
1 Place the jasmine rice, glutinuous rice, water and oil in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring every 30min to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot.

2 Add the chicken, chicken stock powder, salt and pepper and bring to the boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10min.

3 Top with dried scallops, spring onions, you tiao and fried wanton skin.

PORK BALLS AND CENTURY EGG CONGEE
By Kwan Yiu Kan

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
3 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
¼ cup glutinous rice, rinsed
2 litres water
4 tsp cooking oil
2 century eggs, peeled and quartered
2 tsp chicken stock powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper

For the meatballs:
300g minced pork
10 Chinese mushrooms, soaked for 30min and diced
2 tsp sesame oil

To garnish:
1 stalk spring onion, thinly sliced
2 sticks you tiao (fried dough fritters), sliced thinly
4 wanton skins, deep-fried and cut into 2cm strips

DIRECTIONS
1 Place the jasmine rice, glutinous rice, water, and oil in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring every 30min to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot.

2 Meanwhile, mix all the meatball ingredients together and set aside for 15min. Roll into balls about the size of ping pong balls.

3 Add the meatballs to the congee. Bring the congee to the boil, then simmer over low heat for 10min.

4 Mix in the century eggs, chicken stock powder, salt and pepper. Top with the spring onions, you tiao and fried wanton skin.

SINGAPORE HAINANESE-STYLE CHICKEN CONGEE
By Eric Neo, executive chef at Intercontinental Singapore 

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
500g chicken thigh, bone-in
2 litres water
3 stalks spring onions, tied into a knot 1 knob ginger (2cm long), peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup jasmine rice
2 tbsp light soya sauce
tbsp sesame oil
50g dong cai (preserved cabbage)*, rinsed and roughly chopped
A pinch of white pepper

DIRECTIONS
1 Combine the chicken, water, spring onions, ginger and garlic in a pot. Bring to the boil, skimming away any surface froth.

2 Simmer for 30min over low heat, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Turn off the heat.

3 Scoop out the chicken, remove the bones and coarsely shred the meat. Return the bones to the pot and set the meat aside.

4 Add the rice to the pot, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 30min to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken bones and spring onions.

5 Stir in soya sauce and sesame oil. Top with a handful of shredded chicken, dong cai and pepper.

*Made by fermenting shredded cabbage with salt and garlic, dong cai is commonly added to steamed minced meat and fishball soup. Available from www.redmart.com and Chinese dried goods stores.