Thursday, March 14, 2013

Taro & Pork Ribs Congee

I couldn't find taro in the market or supermarket so I waited for the Donggongon tamu (a local market that is held on Thurdays and Fridays in Donggongon). Look at the stuff I picked up there this morning:

    Baby jicama, RM5 per kg.

    An Indonesian fruit called salak, RM2 for all that. 

    Taro, RM4 per kg.

    No idea what this is but it's sour and the vendor said it's for cooking fish.  RM1 for all that.

   Rm3 for the sweet corn (pretty expensive for 4 but this is Malaysia), RM2 for the limes, RM2 for the very fresh and young petola and RM1 for each bundle of tender Chinese spinach and long beans.


When I got home from the market, the congee that Vero cooked was purplish in color. She had added pulut hitam (black glutinous rice) because we had run out of brown rice (we are mostly on brown rice now because my mom's diabetic). It was too wasteful to cook another pot of congee so I went with what Vero had cooked. When we sat down for lunch (congee for lunch in tropical weather is a big mistake), the kids wondered if the congee was savory or sweet.

Surprisingly, it was good congee. Taro never fails, never.


Taro & Pork Ribs Congee

400 to 500 g pork ribs, chopped into 3 cm pieces & blanched with boiling water & drained
400 to 500 gm taro, peeled and cut into chunks 3 cm square
1 1/2 cups white or brown rice, washed
2 cloves garlic, 1/4 of a small brown onion and a very small knob of fresh ginger, all smashed and chopped finely

1. In a heavy-based pot, fry the garlic, onion and ginger in about 1 tablespoon of veg oil until soft and fragrant but not brown. Add the rice and stir, then add water about 15 times the volume of the rice. Cover and simmer, stirring once in a while. Add more water to make the congee thinner if like. Note: Do not add water to ready cooked congee or it will turn watery when cold. Some congee purists (usually HK people) start with the right amount of water and never add anymore, controlling the consistency of the congee by controlling the heat.
2. After one hour, add the spare ribs and simmer again for 30 minutes. Usually, at this point, I like to turn the heat off and let the congee swell. If you are doing that, you can add the taro now. It will cook but if it doesnt go soft enough, go to Step 3.
3. Add the taro and simmer until the taro is tender but not too soft. Season with salt and pepper. Let congee steep for a while before serving.

13 comments:

Fennie said...

what a surprise running into you at the tamu tis morning! ;) and ur bubur ubi look sadap oh!

Anonymous said...

fyi, this morning, went to kk market, taro=RM15/kg.


Chan

jinkar said...

Thanks for the tip on not adding water after cooking congee. Never knew that. RM3 for 4 corn is dirt cheap when you compare it to the prices we pay in Australia! AUD4 for 4 cobs.

terri@adailyobsession said...

Fennie: yes, we must meet up when you are free:)

Chan: found taro at pick n pay, rm19.90/kg!!! Pnly 2 left, each smaller than my fist, n both shrivelled n on the way to rot. Was so desperate, i was going to buy it. The guy weighed it, shook his head at the price: RM7.40. I didnt buy it.
In donggongon tamu, the big taro are rm10/kg. i'd never buy taro anywhere else. Cheap n fresh at donggongon.

Jinkar: i knew ppl'll say it's cheap but i'm comparing it to the prices in the US and Europe, n not converting the currency. I dont think corn costst USD3 for 4. More likely 39 cents. Dnt convert the currency, n dont forget the income here is lower. N also corn is a basic staple, like sweet potato n rice. Oh, anything australian is expensive! I agree with what my daughter said: cost of iving in Australia is the highest, Scandinavian countries notwithstanding. The Us is the cheapest, and even E urope is cheaper than Australia!

Michelle Chin said...

Hmm, I will surely make this when I run out of congee repertoires. haha. :D

HELLO!

Anonymous said...

Hi Terri!!
I really like everything you picked up at the market...and I've never tried anything of that!! It's really good to see that the world offers you so many things...and I'd like to try all of it!
Take care.

Anonymous said...

Hi. Brown rice has same amount of carbs as white rice so will raise blood sugar more or less the same as white rice. The ultimate judge should be the blood sugar meter. Test after eating brown rice (or any food for that matter). If it is under 7.8 mm/ol or 180 mg/dl, then it is OK.

terri@adailyobsession said...

mich: hi!

laura: we're still waiting for you to visit.

anon: you are right about the same amount of starch. most of us mistake amount of starch with the glycemic level, that lower GL means less starch...thanks for reminding!

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