I don’t know why, but there’s something about my Chinese DNA that yearns to slurp down something piping hot, liquidy, and soothing in the morning. Macaroni soup and noodle soup are great answers to my groggy soul, but jook beats them both. Why? Because one batch of jook means you have an answer for breakfast for a week!
I’ve eaten a few bowls of mushroom and chicken jook over the years, and here is my very own version that’s big on flavor and generous on toppings. I love the freshness and the savoriness the mushrooms give the jook. The chicken is also on point in terms of the portion size, flavor and how perfectly cooked it is.
Below are two methods for cooking jook, on the stove top and in an Instant Pot. Stove top cooking requires a little bit more attention whereas you just dump and let it rip in the Instant Pot. Before you dive into the Instant Pot version for efficiency, note that natural release is the preferred method of releasing the pressure, meaning you can’t eat it immediately. Effort versus time, it’s your call.
If you like this Mushroom and Chicken Porridge, try:
Preserved Egg and Pork Loin Porridge (皮蛋瘦肉粥)
Sampan Porridge (艇仔粥)
Mushroom and Chicken Porridge (北菇滑雞粥)
- Yield: 8 to 10 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: One Pot Cooking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
I’ve eaten a few bowls of mushroom and chicken jook over the years, and here is my very own version that’s big on flavor and generous on toppings. I love the freshness and the savoriness the mushrooms give the jook. The chicken is also on point in terms of the portion size, flavor and how perfectly cooked it is.
Ingredients
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- Jasmine rice
- Filtered water
- 1.5-inch knob of ginger, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 pound of fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, cut into strips
- Salt to taste
- Optional seasonings: white pepper, sesame oil
- Optional toppings: chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, slivered ginger
Instructions
Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken pieces in the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sesame oil and marinate at least one hour in the fridge, ideally overnight. Take the bowl out of the fridge as you make the jook.
STOVE TOP METHOD
- Prepare the rice for simmering. Bring 11 cups of filtered water to boil in a large stock pot. Add 1 cup of jasmine rice and ginger, stir and return the water back to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low so the water gently simmers continuously. Leave the lid partially open and stir occasionally.
- Add the fixings. When the porridge appears 90% the consistency you like (mine is around 80 minutes), separate the chicken pieces and add them and the mushrooms into the porridge. Stir to combine. Allow the porridge to finish cooking.
- Season and eat. When you’re ready to eat, scoop some porridge into a bowl and give it a taste. Salt accordingly. Add any additional seasonings and toppings then enjoy! Careful, it’s hot!
6-QUART INSTANT POT METHOD
- Fill ‘er up. Add 1.5 cups of jasmine rice, ginger, chicken and mushrooms and fill the pot with 9 cups of filtered water.
- Let the pot get busy. Close and lock the lid, then turn the venting knob to the sealing position. Select the Porridge mode which should cook the rice at high pressure for 30 minutes. If you don’t want your rice completely broken, you may want to decrease the cooking time. Deselect the Keep Warm setting and then let the appliance do the work. Once done, allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Finishing touches. Open the lid, stir well and taste. The jook should still be pretty hot, so be careful. Salt accordingly. Add any additional seasonings and toppings then enjoy!
Notes
You can add extra flavor to your jook by replacing a few cups of water with broth. Boost the umami level by adding a small handful of rehydrated dried scallops that’s been shredded. Don’t discard any of the hydrating water! Add this in place of filtered water.
