Chao Ga - Vietnamese Rice Porridge

Kiersten Phae's Note:

My Vietnamese fiancé absolutely loves Chao Ga. He and I edited a version we got to make it easier for our family. It's a thick rice soup. The rice gets soft and it's very comforting when sick. You can use just long grain white rice if you do not have glutinous rice. It's a great way to use leftover chicken, and sometimes I poach an egg on top after the rice has cooked to have more of a comforting feel. Sometimes you need to add more chicken stock to keep it soupy, so I check it a couple times while cooking. You can garnished with a couple of sliced Polygonum leaves, but I don't have them so I skip that part.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 6 cups water
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup glutinous rice
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 -2 cup chicken meat , shredded
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 2 -4 eggs , depending on desired servings (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sliced mushrooms (optional)

Garnishes

• 1 teaspoon white pepper (black works also)
• 2 spring onions or 2 scallions or 2 green onions , sliced thin

Directions:

1. Place rice and glutinous rice in a large pot with water and stock.
2. Bring to boil then lower heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook until rice is very soft and mixture is thick. Roughly 45-60 minutes.
4. Add fish sauce, sugar, shredded chicken, mushrooms, and poultry seasoning.
5. Stir Gently.
6. If desired, to Poach eggs: add to top of the mixture and cover.
7. Let it simmer an additional 5-10 minutes, or the eggs are cooked to your liking.
8. Spoon porridge into individual serving bowls.
9. Garnish with spring onion.
10. Sprinkle with pepper.

Reviews

[Phammy]

I'm so happy I found this recipe. I used regular jasmine rice and 2 cups of chicken and added a little more fish sauce. The only thing I would change would be the poultry seasoning (I used McCormick Chicken rub). I forgot to taste before I added and a tablespoon was WAY too much for my liking. I set the water on high til it boiled and then put it on the low/1 setting on my stove. I let it sit for 45 minutes but I would check it the last ten minutes next time.
I am definitely using this recipe again but w/out the poultry seasoing and maybe adding green onions.

***(9/26/10)
I made this again and simplified the process. I reduced the rice to only 2 cups of jasmine rice (next time I will try 1 1/2) and let it simmer for only 20 minutes, not the full 45. I added a little more fish sauce to taste and with the chicken, I added a bunch of green onions and seasoned with white pepper. Great as leftover with a poached or fried egg. Perfect for when you're under the weather. Thanks again!

[hippeastrum]

This is pretty good! It really makes rice last a lot longer. I've made this a few times. I still haven't tried adding egg to it, so I might give that a try next time. Thanks!

[Chef #1328829]

Very good. We added a little more fish sauce and no sugar. Also garnished with coriander before serving.