Congee With Pickled Plums, Fried Shallots And Chives | Tasting Table Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2½ cups chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons long-grain white rice
• One ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (skin scraped away with the edge of a teaspoon) and sliced crosswise into 2 rounds
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt or soy sauce, plus more to taste
• ½ tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums), halved, pitted and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives

Directions

1. Prepare the rice porridge: To a medium, heavy-bottomed pot add the chicken stock and ginger and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the rice, and cook until the rice completely breaks down and the mixture thickens into a porridge-like consistency, about 1½ hours. Stir occasionally for the first hour, then often for the remaining 30 minutes as the rice is more likely to stick to the bottom of the pot as the mixture thickens. Stir in kosher salt or soy sauce; taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Prepare the condiments: To a small skillet set over medium heat, add the grapeseed oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots and a pinch of kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are crispy and golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Serve the congee in bowls, sprinkled with crispy shallots, umeboshi plum slices (1 plum per serving) and chives.