When You’re Poorly… There’s Only One Thing to Cook: Juk
As I sit here typing this, my throat is sore, my temperature keeps jumping up and down, I’ve got a cough that won’t bugger off — and Jo is feeling just the same. Not exactly the cosy winter’s day we hoped for… but even when you’re feeling rough, one thing never changes: you still have to eat.
Growing up, whenever we were poorly, Mum always knew exactly what to make — Juk, also known as Congee or Rice Porridge.
Although, as kids, we never called it that.
To us, it was simply “soggy rice.”
And somehow, that made it even more comforting.
Mum would simmer it gently with:
- plenty of warming ginger
- dried scallops for that deep umami richness
- shredded chicken
- maybe a few spring onions scattered in at the end
Then she’d wrap us up on the sofa, tuck a blanket around us, put on a favourite film, and pass over a steaming bowl of soggy rice. No matter how poorly we felt, that bowl always made things a little easier, a little softer, a little more bearable.
So today, feeling groggy and wiped out, I’m returning to the same remedy.
There’s something incredibly soothing about Juk — the way it warms you from the inside out, the gentle flavours, the soft texture that feels like a hug for your insides. It’s the Chinese version of chicken soup… but silkier, simpler, and soaked in nostalgia.
It’s comfort.
It’s healing.
It’s home.
If you’re under the weather — or just need a bit of comfort — give Juk a try. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the ones that look after you the most.
Congee (aka Juk or Rice Porridge)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Long Grain
- 14 cups water roughly
- 2 thumbs Ginger sliced
- 3 Spring Onions cut into 5cm lengths
- 1/4 cup Pickled Mustard Greens shredded (optional)
- 2 to 3 tbsp Chicken Powder or Veggie Stock
- 3 to 4 Dried Scallops optional
- 1 Chicken Breast diced
- Pinch Salt to taste
- Pinch White Pepper to taste
Toppings (all optional)
- Crushed Peanuts salted
- Spring Onions diced
- Crispy Fried Onions
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Crispy Tofu Pieces
- Light Soy Sauce Kikkoman of course
Instructions
- Soak your scallops in warm water
- Wash Rice in warm water 2 to 3 times, drain
- Add your water for cooking
- Place over a medium heat
- Add ginger, spring onion & pickled mustard greens
- Now add your Chicken powder
- Give everything a really good mix
- Drain scallops and break into small pieces, add to the pot
- Add diced Chicken
- Once Congee has been cooking for a few hours add salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve in a large bowl with the toppings of your choice
Recipe is from my Chinese Takeaway Cookbook
