Recipe for Laotian Congee, by Leigh Vial

Leigh Vial came to head the Experiment Station at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; http:irri.org ) in early 2011, after a 15-year career in the Australian rice industry. He spent 3 years pursuing a PhD and consulting to an lowland rice project of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR; http://aciar.gov.au/ ) in Lao PDR.

His time in Laos exposed him and his family to the full range of Southeast Asian cooking. Congee proved a particular favorite for him, his wife Sue and two boys, Digby and Rory.

Congee is the first meal of the day in many parts of Asia, and it makes a wonderful snack too. It is simply rice cooked in an excess of stock such as pork or chicken, with a range of savory additives.

In Lao PDR, it is called khao piak khao, which literally means "wet rice." Both the stock and rice require some forward-planning, but it is well rewarded.

Instructions:

Boil stock
In a large pot, put 4-5 liters of water, then add:
A large piece of pork or chicken (up to 1 kilogram)
A few pieces of ginger, according to taste
2-3 whole onions, according to taste
2-3 whole small coriander plants

Boil slowly for 30-60 minutes. Powdered stock with added ginger is a much quicker option if you have less time.

Cook rice:
Add a cup of rice (good for four persons) to about 2 liters of stock, but you can dilute the stock according to taste. Some people use some or all glutinous rice for a creamier texture. Boil slowly for 30--60 minutes. Rice can be cooked ahead of time (cooked in the standard way, one part rice and one part water), then simmer the precooked rice in stock when required.

Add toppings:
Some suggested toppings are the following, for one person:
A tablespoon of fried garlic
A tablespoon of chopped spring onions
A tablespoon of chopped coriander
One sliced boiled egg
A pinch of dried or fresh chillies

Add ground pepper and soy sauce to taste.

Note: Other toppings are limited only by your imagination!

Source of the recipe: Thanks to my instructor Deng, the proprietor of Kung's Café Lao - http://synti.com/Laos/Kung%27s%20Cafe%20Lao.html - just around the corner from Wat Simuang, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

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[perfumeyou]

You make me missed my hometown very much.

[LMFAOAlexander143]

White dude cooking laos congee .how fucking cools is that.gud job my friend. Dont for hhot sauce .it taste si gud wit it.u gona sweat like a bull .lol