Chao ca nam bao ngo (Congee with fish and abalone mushroom )

Often when the weather is cold and miserable, there is nothing more comforting than a big bowl of congee. Congee is a delicious rice porridge that is often enjoyed with Yar char kway (Chinese fried cruller). It is also often eaten when one is sick or unwell to nourish back to health. I used to remember without fail, mum would make a big bowl of plain congee often with salted duck eggs when I was sick. Congee is made with the most basic of ingredients, mainly rice and water. The secret to a great congee is to pre-soaking the rice and a long rolling boil until the rice breaks down and disintegrate. Resulting in a deliciously creamy and silky texture. On it's own congee is quiet plain but however, it's a great carrier of flavours. You can pretty much add any flavours you like, chicken, pork, fish or seafood, the combinations are endless. I just love congee to bits, no matter if it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. I used to have to make the journey to superbowl, a very popular destination for congee in Sydney. Not any more, this is a simple and delicious recipe anyone can replicate and enjoy at home.


Recipe

1 cup of Jasmine rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp salt
1 can chicken stock, optional

1/2 kg fish fillets, sliced into 1/2cm thick.
1 can of abalone mushroom, sliced into 1/2cm thick.
1 knob of ginger, julienned

Accompaniments

Yau char kway (Chinese fried cruller)
shallots, finely chopped
coriander, finely chopped
roasted peanuts
crispy eshallots
white pepper

Method

1. Wash, rinse and drain the rice a couple of times. Add salt, olive oil plus a cup of water to the rice and set aside for 1/2 an hour.
2. Bring 4 litres of water to the boil and add the soaked rice. Stir occasionally to stop rice from sticking to the bottom.
3. Let it boil for about an hour, until the rice grains starts to breaks down and disintegrate. Top up with more water or chicken stock if congee becomes too thick.
4. Before serving add in the fish, abalone mushroom and ginger. The fish shouldn't take long to cook at all.
5. To serve, top up a large bowl with the congee and enjoy with the accompaniments.

Ca kho to (Caramelised silver perch in claypot)

This is a very home style dish and one that mum used to make alot. I recall having thi kho(caramelised pork) and ca kho(caramelised fish) often as a child, almost on a weekly basis. Perhaps, it's the fact that you can feed the whole family with just one dish. I love the balance of saltiness and sweetness of the sauce, nothing goes better with hot steaming rice than this. Without fail, I always start by slathering a spoonful of the thick caramelised sauce and message it into my rice. I can eat it just like that, to me the sauce is the hero of the dish.

Recipe

1 silver perch
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
3 shallots white part only (cut 1 inch long and bruised)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp white pepper (roughly cracked)
1 thai chilli (thinly sliced, optional)

Caramel sauce

2 tbsp cooking oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce

chopped shallots

Method

1. Cut the fish into 1 inch pieces and place in a large bowl with the fish sauce, sugar, shallots, garlic, chilli and white pepper. Mix and let marinate for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil over low-medium heat in a medium-sized clay pot or non stick pan. Add the sugar and wait until it start to caramelise.
3. When the sugar is caramelised, add 2 tbsp fish sauce to stop it cooking further.
4. Let the sauce thicken a little, then add the fish in. Coat both side of the fish with the caramel sauce.
5. Stir in the remaining marinade and cover with the lid slightly open. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to a fairly thick syrup. Turn the fish occasionally to coat both sides with the caramel sauce.
6. Adjust seasoning to taste with fish sauce and sugar.
7. Garnish with shallots and enjoy with steamed rice.