Chicken Congee with Rice Cooker

This is extremely easy (and healthy?), especially if you were a student.

All you need to have are :

1 cup of rice
200g Chicken Fillet
2 Leaves of Chinese Cabbage (cut thinly)
50g Ginger (sliced)
Some Shitake Mushroom (soaked and sliced)
100g Tofu (cut into thin strips)
Salt

Optional :
1 tablespoon Dong Cai (冬菜）
Sesame Oil
Oyster sauce
Soy Sauce
Pepper

Method :

1. Put rice into rice cooker, add lots of water (I used 1L then adding more as it dries up).
2. When the water boils, add in ginger and the chicken fillet (I love it especially when the rice is all crushed totally).
3. Cook the fillet in the rice cooker for about 20-30minutes.
4. Take out the fillet and "strip" it with a fork / hand (rinse with some cold water so that it will be easier to handle)
5. Add into the congee mushroom for about 15minutes, then add cabbage and tofu (fry them first if desired)
6. Lastly add in the chicken and Dong Cai.
7. Season with salt, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 0.5-1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
8. Bring to boil and it's ready to be served.
9. Sprinkle some fried shallot and spring onion/coriander on the congee.
10. Add soy sauce and pepper if desired.

You might also be interested in cooking congee with the slow cooker :)

Porridge Slow-Cooked

Ever since I bought a slow cooker from my senior last year, I think I have "fully used" it. One of my favourite, is to cook porridge in it. Because it is easy, and when I am back from class, I will have enough time to rest and have my simple dinner without going into the smokey common kitchen.It is extremely easy and time-saving, especially when I am having a heavy/busy subject or when exams around the corner. It is useful especially when you have to cook for yourself, when mama is far away from you, haha.

I like the porridge from slow cooker because the rice grains will turn very soft and would produce a very fine porridge. Well, I prefer it that way. So, if you like those porridge where you still can enjoy the texture of the rice, this might not be yours. Besides, with sufficient amount of water, you won't need to worry for a burnt porridge. And porridge in slow-cooker keeps the moisture (water) in them. It is rather difficult to get a dry, thickened porridge; unless of course you put very little amount of water.

So, first and foremost, wash your rice and put them in the slow-cooker pot, then add sufficient amount of water. With my small pot, I usually put half a rice-cup of rice with 80% full of water. Then leave it on high at about 7.30-8am. After class, which maybe 2pm, add chicken fillet and ginger slices (actually you can do it anytime, when you see that the rice has turned into poriddge). At about 5pm, scoop the fillet and tear into pieces and put it back to your porridge. I usually add also some slices of shitake mushroom, cut chinese cabbage. Then put 0.5-1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, some salt and pepper. Leave to cook till about 6.30-7pm. And you can then enjoy your porridge after nice bath :) Don't forget to add some sesame oil or some onion oil to make it tastier. One of my all time favourite too --- Light Soy Sauce :D

The ingredient is basically up to you. Sometimes, I prefer to put those Chinese Dried Oyster with ginger slices, some seaweed, mushroom. Before eating, just simply sprinkle some cilantro on it. Easy, fast, tireless, what more can you wish for when one is lazy? *wink* You might also want to try cooking congee with a rice cooker? Also super easy hehe :)

Plov

Plov is very common in Ukraine, and I believe it is too in Russia. It has a history as early as in the period of Alexander The Great (Greek) or even much more earlier. And believe it or not, it even has a proper Chinese name --- 抓饭!

In Simferopol, in current time, we can get plov at about UAH 9 (with meat)in the Central Rinak. It is an oily rice which is cooked with seasoned meat, carrot, spices and even raisins. In the Rinak, it is usually served with vinegered onion rings, bread and pickled chili, and sometimes with a pickled vegetable salad.

Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
2 large carrots (cut into strips)
2 large headed unpeeled garlic
300g meat of your choice
200g raisins
salt
plov spices (cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and Barbaris)

Methods:
1. Braise the meat with the garlics (make sure the meat is cooked till soft and tender).
2. Preheat wok with oil.
3. Add in the carrot.
4. Add the plov spices.
5. Add then the raisin and later on the uncooked rice.
6. When the rice is almost dry, pour in the stock from 1. , except the meat. But include the garlics.
7. Add salt and simmer with low heat till the water is all absorbed and rice is cooked.
8. The meat is sliced and put at the bottom of a round bowl.
9. Add the plov in the round bowl and turn it upside down on a plate.

The plov spices is easily available in the market, packed. Just tell the seller, and they will prepare the spices for you. For the meat, I prefer using pork. Haven't tried lamb though. The Rinak normally have beef or chicken anyway. Well, hope you all will enjoy this recipe.