Basic Congee (Jook)

You may not believe this, but for a dish as simple as this, I'd been dreaming of making this for a very long time. Growing up in a Chinese household, I cannot even begin to explain how the comfort of having a beautifully simple meal like this can actually cleanse the body. Sometimes the body just needs a break from the rich foods which we consume daily, but it doesn't have to be boring! I took the opportunity to cook this when Nick was sick and spent most of his time in bed. It's still not a meal he would turn to, but maybe someday he'll understand.

I've included the basic recipe from this book, but feel free to add 100g mince pork if you wish, or season with pepper and a drizzle of soy sauce. You can also stir in two eggs vigourously until mixed through at the end. Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil, and season to individual taste. Serve with pickled cabbage, century eggs, etc on the side.

1/2 cup short-grain rice
1/4 cup glutinous rice
4 1/2 cups water
4 cups Chicken Stock

Place both rices in a large pot, with water to cover. Wash the rice by rubbing between your palms. Drain. Repeat twice more.

Return the washed rice to the pot, add the 4 1/2 cups of water and the stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, leaving the lid cracked, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot bottom. A nonstick pot is preferred. Cook until the rice thickens almost to a porridge consistency.

Heat a tureen by pouring boiling water into it. When the congee is done, turn off the heat, pour the congee into the heated tureen, and serve. For a vegetarian congee, substitute Vegetable Stock for the chicken stock.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Langkal - Creamed Kale

We were invited to a Eurovision party, and asked to cook a dish of the country we were supporting. I didn't know which country to bat for, so I decided to support the one I had a recipe for!

3 litres (5 1/4 pints) ham or vegetable stock

800 g (1 3/4 lb) kale, stripped from its stalks

2 tbsp bitter

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) double cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6-8

Bring the ham or vegetable stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the kale, a little at a time as it collapses rapidly, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Drain off the stock (you can save it to make kale soup later). Chop the kale. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, tip in the kale, and sizzle.

Pour over the cream and simmer until it's reduced to a thick sauce. Season to taste.

Serve the creamed kale as part of a Christmas buffet, or eat it with slices of Christmas Ham.