Food Editor: Lillian Chou
Father: Kuo Hung Chou, Pine Brook, NJ
Jook, a rice porridge, is eaten at breakfast or as a light lunch in many parts of Asia. Although my father came from Shanghai, he preferred the more flavorful Cantonese version my mother made. Breakfast with "Baba"("Daddy" in Mandarin) on Sundays meant a table adorned with many small dishes of condiments. One of his favorites was "thousand-year-old eggs" (pei dan), which are actually chicken or duck eggs preserved in a mixture of clay, lime, and salt.
Thousand-year-old eggs are available at Chinese markets, where they're sold individually or in packs of six. (Don't confuse them with "salted eggs," which are brined duck eggs.) Since their quality varies widely, it pays to buy a more expensive variety, if available.
Jook can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to a boil before serving.
*Available at Kam Man Food Products (212-571-0330).
Recipe information
Total Time
2 1/4 hr
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Cut off scallion greens and reserve greens separately from white and pale green parts. Cut ginger in half crosswise and smash 1 piece with flat side of a large heavy knife, reserving remaining piece. Wrap smashed piece of ginger, cilantro, and white and pale green parts of scallion in cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with string.
Step 2
Rinse chicken inside and out and put in a 4-to 6-quart heavy pot along with cheesecloth bundle, salt, and water, then bring to a simmer, covered. Cook, covered, 15 minutes.
Step 3
Turn off heat and measure out and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then cover pot again. Pour reserved liquid into a small bowl and add dried scallops. (Scallops should be completely submerged.) Soak until softened, about 30 minutes.
Step 4
While scallops are soaking, let chicken stand in cooking liquid, covered, 30 minutes. (Chicken will be cooked through.) Carefully remove chicken from liquid with tongs, then transfer chicken to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Discard cheesecloth bundle from cooking liquid, reserving liquid.
Step 5
Rinse long-grain and Chinese sticky rice briefly in a sieve, then add to pot with chicken-cooking liquid.
Step 6
Shred scallops into fine threads with a fork or your fingers, discarding tough muscle from side of each scallop if attached. Add scallop threads and scallop-soaking liquid to rice mixture and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until jook is very thick, about 1 hour.
Step 7
While rice is simmering, discard skin from chicken and remove meat in large pieces, then cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces.
Step 8
Cut reserved ginger into thin matchsticks and chop reserved scallion greens.
Step 9
Divide chicken among 6 serving bowls, then ladle jook over chicken. Sprinkle ginger and scallions over jook and serve with accompaniments.
