Jook. Juk. Congee. Rice porridge. Named differently based on the region of Asia in which it is made, the type of rice used, and the water-to-rice ratio, there are just as many ways or techniques to make jook as there are names.

I was first introduced to this delightful comfort food by my mother-in-law. It’s a great way to use the scraps and leftovers from holiday dinners that rely on roasted large birds. Check out my original Chicken Congee recipe for my traditional version.

But let’s be honest, a lot of times we don’t have hours to make homemade chicken broth beforehand. Instead, we want something quick and easy to make during the long work week. Enter — the easy pork jook that takes less than an hour. An hour still may seem long but it’s truly a set-it-and-forget meal so you can go about your evening while it cooks.

You will see I made this version a bit soupier than previously. I was influenced by 3 weeks in Thailand last year where extremely soup-y porridge was served for breakfast at all the hotels. Of course, I ate it every day! This also had me thinking – this is a great staple to make for myself as breakfast or lunch for the week. It makes so much volume, it is perfect for leftovers that will last you a few days. It’s shockingly healthy too considering the water-to-rice ratio.

Needless to say, although I never grew up with this — grits was always my go-to — it has become more and more a comfort food of mine. (Now that I think of it… I really should experiment with some grits soon!)

Anyway, here it is. The 7-ingredient, less than 60-minute, weekday rendition of jook that I plan on making on Sunday nights at least once or twice a month.

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups jasmine rice

2 chicken bouillon cubes

4 cups chicken broth

8 cups of water (depending on preferred consistency, add 2-4 cups more water)

1 pound ground pork

4 cloves garlic

¼ cup tamari

fresh ginger

salt & pepper

Toppings: cilantro, scallions, sliced fried garlic

Serving size: 8

INSTRUCTIONS

• Rinse jasmine rice in a strainer three times, until water is clear as it drains out.
• In a large pot, bring the rice, bouillon cubes, chicken broth, and water to a boil, then reduce heat to a soft boil and cook until rice turns to porridge (approx. 45 mins).
• While the rice is cooking, combine the ground pork, soy sauce, garlic, and a dash of salt and pepper in a bowl.
• When the rice is porridge-esque, pinch a small about of the pork mixture in your hands (you can roll it into a ball or not if you are lazy like me), and drop it into the pot. Repeat until all pork is in the rice mixture, stirring occasionally.
• Grate a tablespoon of fresh ginger into the rice and cook for another 5-10 minutes depending on how large the chunks of pork you threw in. Nobody wants uncooked pork!
• Now, taste and thin with additional water if you want a soup-er jook. I also like to add a dash more soy sauce straight into the pot at this time for a bit more flavor and in lieu of adding salt.
• Top with scallions, cilantro, and fried sliced garlic. Enjoy!