The rice porridge experience

when you hear the word "porridge", you might think about the little red riding hood and how she ate bear porridge, complaining if it was too hot or cold. you might think about oatmeal, grits or some unspectacular looking bowl of goop served lukewarm.

or, if you are Chinese or are familiar with the cuisine, you will without fault think "rice".
rice porridge is quite the popular thing in south and southeast China and other Asian nations because of many reasons:

1. Rice is the main carbohydrate in the region
2. Rice is the main carbohydrate in the region
3. Rice is the main carbohydrate in the region


If you haven't understood the redundancy that has been presented to you, consider that in south-chinese cuisine relies heavily on rice in it's recipes: glutinous sticky rice for dim-sum dishes, rice flour for sweet rice cake desserts, rice noodles, rice water for the sick, etc.

Fun fact: The early construction of the Great wall of China utilized a mortar of lime and glutinous rice mash to keep the stones secure. as the years went by and famines came and went, rice was substituted for a more typical (and non-edible) mix of cement wit hthe advent of brick use in certain portions of wall.

Speaking of the sick, rice porridge was the main food of choice for the infirm and the old/toothless, as the porridge was mild and palatable, had a high water content and would go down well. It was also eaten extensively by the poor population of the region, as rice could expand to almost 3 times it's non-cooked form and fill the stomach faster, thereby saving the amount of rice eaten per person and conserving precious rice (rice was/is very valuable).

It can be garnished with pickled vegetables, spice, hot sauce, meat, fresh and steamed vegetables, green onions, a1 steak sauce, thai peanut sauce, soy sauce, MSG sauce, etc. etc. and is nominally reserved for breakfast.

When cooking, make sure to keep the ratio of rice to water at about 1 cup of rice to 6 cups of water. It is a good idea to keep a close eye on the pot/rice cooker, was the water will begin to flow over as the rice expands. if you're not careful, you'll have sticky rice water embedded in your carpeted dorm room, eventually hardening over time and petrifying any unknowing insect that wades into it.

it happened to me. don't let it happen to you.

Eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, May 21

, 2007 (wisdom teeth removed)