Chicken Jook
A comforting Chinese rice porridge (congee) made with whole chicken, dried scallops, and a fragrant blend of ginger, scallions, and cilantro. This hearty dish is served with various traditional accompaniments for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- •1 bunch scallions
- •1 piece fresh ginger
- •12 sprigs fresh cilantro
- •1 whole chicken
- •2 teaspoons salt
- •3 qt cold water
- •¼ cup dried scallops
- •¾ cup long-grain rice
- •¼ cup Chinese sticky rice
- •1 serving accompaniments
- •1 serving cilantro leaves
- •1 set cheesecloth and string
Cooking Instructions
- 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.
10 min
- 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.
15 min
- 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.
30 min
- 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.
30 min
- 5.
Rinse long-grain and Chinese sticky rice briefly in a sieve, then add to pot with chicken-cooking liquid.
5 min
- 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.
60 min
- 7.
While rice is simmering, discard skin from chicken and remove meat in large pieces, then cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces.
15 min
- 8.
Cut reserved ginger into thin matchsticks and chop reserved scallion greens.
5 min
- 9.
Divide chicken among 6 serving bowls, then ladle jook over chicken. Sprinkle ginger and scallions over jook and serve with accompaniments.
5 min
