Rice Porridge (Khao Tom)

Author Notes

This contest brought back memories of my days as a student living in New York. I would allow myself a budget of $1 a day for food. Sometimes that dollar would go to the hot dog vendor in front of school (that a hot dog was $1 tells you how long ago I lived in NY), other days; a pack of egg noodles, butter, salt and pepper would get me through 3 days. But there was one dish that still today costs under $1 a serving--rice porridge. There are lots of variations of this dish. Plain white rice cooked to a thick paste, eaten with pickled vegetables (congee); crushed grains of rice cooked to a stew-like consistency (jook). This is my family's favorite version--made with ground turkey or pork. I like mine topped with a poached egg. - edamame2003 —edamame2003

Test Kitchen Notes

I call this dish, "a big bowl of comfy and a good excuse to dig out my bottle of fish sauce from the back of the panty." The technique of double-cooking the rice gives it a creamy and rich texture (I was almost convinced that I must have added cream). The fish sauce, while a bit stinky at first whiff, transforms into a secret ingredient that elevates the dish to yum. The egg yolk coats the rice and gives it a wonderfully silky feel, while the green onion and cilantro add just the right finish. This is the first time I've had rice porridge (Khao Tom) and I’m officially a fan. It's a big bowl of comfy that won’t break the bank! - SwoonMySpoon —SwoonMySpoon