Rice Porridge

I am struggling to accustom myself with this new template for my blog.My daughter, Zaty changed her blog layout and changed mine too.

Still on the subject of balanced meals in one pot, apart from soups, porridge seems an ideal choice.
It is easy to prepare and packs a lot of nutrients if you mix all the components of the food pyramid.
Porridges are also suitable for babies and elderly folks as well as people recovering from a surgery or an illness. People on a diet also love porridge.

Porridge is great on cold winter or cool rainy days.

To make a 'lean' porridge, meaning less fat, you can add a lot of liquid and vegetables and reduce the simple carbohydrate as in rice. A porridge without cream or coconut milk and added with lean meat makes good food for people on a slimming diet.

Simple Rice Porridge:
Serves 4

Ingredients:

150 ml (use a yogurt cup) rice, washed and drained.(For dieters, you can use red or brown rice. If you do, you should use about half a yogurt cup of brown or red rice only)

2.5 l water

2 pieces of chicken, with skin removed and microwaved/boiled/steamed and cut into strips
Alternatively, dice 100g of lean meat
1/2 carrot, diced
1 stick celery, cut in 1 cm lengths
spring onion and Chinese celery, chopped
(You can use mixed frozen vegetables if you run out of fresh ones or you can also opt to use other vegetables like mushrooms, cauliflower, mustard leaves or broccoli and beans)

1 cube Knorr soup base
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Use a 3 litre deep pot and add in the water. (I always use filtered water).Pour in the rice and cook over medium heat till the water boils. Add in the meat or chicken and cook till they are tender. You can add more water if you prefer a more watery porridge.

Add in the vegetables and the seasoning.

The porridge is delicious when eaten hot with fried shallots, fried anchovies and toasted groundnuts. You can prepare these separately and keep them in airtight containers, ready when you want to use them. (But if you are on a diet, you may skip the fried ingredients)

Alternatively, the porridge also tastes great if added with sprinklings of fried salted fish (ikan kurau, talang or gelama) and pickled green chillies.