Name: Fish Congee (Cháo Cá)
Yield: Serves 4-6 as part of a Shared Meal
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sliced spring onion (scallion); 1 tablespoon sliced coriander (cilantro) leaves; 150 g (5½ oz/¾ cup) long-grain rice; 1.5 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) chicken stock; 300 g (10½ oz) ling fillets, sliced into bite-sized pieces; 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Preparation info

Serves
4-6
as part of a Shared Meal

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

I GREW UP EATING THIS DISH, EITHER FOR BREAKFAST, SUPPER OR WHEN I WAS UNWELL AND NEEDED SOMETHING EASY TO DIGEST. CONGEE IS ENJOYED IN MANY ASIAN COUNTRIES, AND EACH HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF MAKING AND SERVING IT. IN VIETNAM, CHAO (RICE PORRIDGE) CAN BE SERVED WITH CHICKEN, DUCK, PORK, SALTED EGG OR OFFAL.

Ingredients

150 g (5½ oz/¾ cup) long-grain rice
1.5

Method

In a large frying pan, dry-roast the rice over low heat until fragrant but not brown. Transfer to a large saucepan, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add the fish pieces to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, then remove the fish with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the rice, stirring regularly, for 25 minutes, then add the fish sauce