Recipe: Chicken Jook with Ginger-Scallion Oil
Rice porridge is known by many different names—I learned the term “congee” in America, but grew up calling it the Cantonese term “jook”. But I think something that all Asian kids and former kids can agree upon is that it is THE dish for Asian parents to make as a cure for any and all under-the-weather situations. I’ve had several people tell me they don’t like jook because it reminds them of the one thing they ate while being sick as a kid…but I personally love jook in sickness and in health!
That being said, as an adult there are times when that cure-all feels desperately needed, and parents are no longer around to stand over the stove to slowly simmer that rice into a tummy- and soul-warming porridge. In those times, shortcuts are a necessity! So when Bibigo USA asked me to develop a jook recipe for flu season, I wanted to make sure the recipe was super easy and ready to provide comfort in 30 minutes.
The ginger-scallion oil was inspired by the kind that my mom used to make to go with Hainanese chicken rice, but I also included garlic to help boost immunity and ward off vampires. Not only is it awesome on jook, chicken, and rice, but I have been using it on biang biang noodles, roast duck, and pretty much anything.
Ingredients
1 Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice
2 cups bone broth or chicken stock
1 tbsp + 1 tsp ginger, grated and divided
1–2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small clove garlic, minced
Coarse Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp avocado oil*
1/3 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded
*Can be substituted with other neutral, high smoke point cooking oils, but not olive or sesame oil
Procedure
Microwave Bibigo Cooked Sticky White Rice according to instructions on packaging for 90 seconds.
Combine the broth, microwaved rice, and 1 teaspoon ginger in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium and allow to boil for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the jook becomes homogeneous, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
While jook is boiling, prepare the ginger-garlic-scallion oil. Gently blot excess moisture from the remaining ginger. In a small heat-safe bowl, combine ginger, scallions, and garlic, plus a generous pinch of salt. Heat oil in a small saucepan until it just starts to smoke (or test by throwing in a small piece of scallion to see if it sizzles). Carefully pour oil over aromatics and mix well.
When jook is the desired consistency, transfer to a bowl and top with shredded chicken. Top with ginger-scallion oil and serve.
Thank you so much to Bibigo USA for sponsoring this recipe! For more recipe ideas and to learn more about their products, visit their website!