Thai Rice Porridge, known as "Jok" in Thailand, is a beloved comfort food that is commonly enjoyed for breakfast alongside Patongo, a deep-fried dough stick. This dish is incredibly gentle on the stomach and is often recommended when feeling unwell. Additionally, it provides a warm and cozy sensation during cold weather, making it an ideal choice for any time of the day.
Finding Thai rice porridge is quite easy, as it is readily available from street food vendors and even offered as a breakfast option in hotels. Street food versions of rice porridge offer a wide array of toppings to choose from, including pork, pork liver, meatballs, chicken, fish, soft-boiled eggs, century eggs, chopped green onions, ginger, ground pepper, and soy sauce for garnishing.
In Thailand, traditional rice porridge is typically cooked over a charcoal stove, imparting a subtle smoky aroma. It is made using jasmine rice, which is cooked with ample water or broth until it becomes soft, mushy, and slightly thick. The cooking process is time-consuming, taking approximately 3-4 hours of constant stirring to prevent the rice from sticking and burning at the bottom of the pot.
Personally, I find rice porridge to be a light and comforting dish that soothes my stomach. While I have attempted to make it myself several times, the traditional method was quite laborious. However, I have discovered a convenient shortcut that reduces the cooking time to just an hour. By preparing a flavorful homemade chicken broth using chicken, brown onions, cilantro roots, salt, and white pepper, and blending steamed rice in a food processor, I achieve a smooth, creamy, and mushy consistency in my rice porridge. It truly is the easiest method I have come across for making this delightful dish.
Note:
- I recommend using any type of white rice, such as Thai long-grain jasmine rice, Chinese, or Japanese short-grain rice. They are all good choices.
- Using steamed rice is much quicker than using raw rice. I recommend using "new steamed rice" for a fresh and fragrant taste.
Here are some mix and match options you might want to try:
Toppings: shredded chicken, pork meatballs, pork tenderloin, pork liver, pork stomach, pork intestines.
Eggs: soft-boiled egg, Thai omelet, century eggs, boiled salted egg.
Side dish ideas: Thai mixed vegetable stir fry, Thai garlic pepper chicken, spicy fried egg salad, and broccoli and mushroom in oyster sauce.
Seasoning: soy sauce, ground pepper, green onion, ginger.
So, if you have never had Thai rice porridge before, give this recipe a go!
To make this recipe, you are going to need:
- 1 chicken (chicken broth)
- 2 brown onions (chicken broth)
- 50 g. ginger
- 20 g. White pepper (chicken broth)
- 2 teaspoons salt (chicken broth)
- 4 cups steamed rice
- 10 cups chicken broth ( if it’s not enough, you can mix chicken broth with water)
- Finely chopped ginger (garnish)
- Finely chopped green onion (garnish)
- Soft boiled eggs (optional)
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make Easy Thai Chicken Rice Porridge or Congee (Jok Gai) Recipe
1 Gather all the essential ingredients.
2 Combine chicken, brown onions, ground white pepper, cilantro roots, ginger, and salt in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 40 minutes.
3 While the soup is boiling, make sure to remove any bubbles that form and avoid stirring to keep the soup clear.
4 Let the broth boil for 40 minutes, then taste the soup to check the seasoning. If it's too bland, add more salt to enhance the flavor. Remove the cooked chicken from the soup and allow it to cool down.
5 Using a food processor, blend the steamed rice with chicken broth until they are well combined. You can use approximately 2 cups of steamed rice and 3 cups of water.
6 Blend until the rice becomes smooth and mushy.
7 Transfer the blended rice porridge from the blender to a pot and set it on medium-low heat. Stir the porridge every 5 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Gradually add chicken broth while stirring, ensuring that it blends well with the rice porridge.
8 If any bubbles form on the surface, remove them.
9 Continue stirring for about 10 minutes until the rice porridge reaches a smooth and slightly thick consistency. Shred the cooked chicken.
10 Shred the cooked chicken.
11 Once the rice porridge is ready, assemble your bowl by topping it with shredded chicken, soft-boiled egg, green onion, and ginger. Add soy sauce and ground pepper according to your taste preferences. Enjoy your delicious bowl of rice porridge!
Other Thai Recipes You Might Like
Here are some of my favorite Thai that I think you might like. For more Thai cuisine, check out my Thai recipe page.
Easy Thai Chicken Rice Porridge or Congee (Jok Gai) Recipe
Looking for an easy and comforting dish? Try this delicious Thai Chicken Rice Porridge recipe, also known as Jok Gai. Made with tender chicken, fragrant rice, and flavorful seasonings, it's a quick and satisfying meal. Get the step-by-step instructions here!
Ingredients
- 1 chicken (chicken broth)
- 2 brown onions (chicken broth)
- 50 g. ginger
- 20 g. White pepper (chicken broth)
- 2 teaspoons salt (chicken broth)
- 4 cups steamed rice
- 10 cups chicken broth ( if it’s not enough, you can mix chicken broth with water)
- Finely chopped ginger (garnish)
- Finely chopped green onion (garnish)
- Soft boiled eggs (optional)
Directions
- Gather all the essential ingredients.
- Combine chicken, brown onions, ground white pepper, cilantro roots, ginger, and salt in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 40 minutes.
- While the soup is boiling, make sure to remove any bubbles that form and avoid stirring to keep the soup clear.
- Let the broth boil for 40 minutes, then taste the soup to check the seasoning. If it’s too bland, add more salt to enhance the flavor. Remove the cooked chicken from the soup and allow it to cool down.
- Using a food processor, blend the steamed rice with chicken broth until they are well combined. You can use approximately 2 cups of steamed rice and 3 cups of water.
- Blend until the rice becomes smooth and mushy.
- Transfer the blended rice porridge from the blender to a pot and set it on medium-low heat. Stir the porridge every 5 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Gradually add chicken broth while stirring, ensuring that it blends well with the rice porridge.
- If any bubbles form on the surface, remove them.
- Continue stirring for about 10 minutes until the rice porridge reaches a smooth and slightly thick consistency. Shred the cooked chicken.
- Shred the cooked chicken.
- Once the rice porridge is ready, assemble your bowl by topping it with shredded chicken, soft-boiled egg, green onion, and ginger. Add soy sauce and ground pepper according to your taste preferences. Enjoy your delicious bowl of rice porridge!
