For my 35th birthday, I visited Asia for the very first time in my life.
Hong Kong has always intrigued me. Maybe it’s because of all the Wong Kar-wai films I’ve watched. Or perhaps it’s the complex geopolitical dynamics and identity it has with China that interests me.
But one thing’s for sure: I wanted to visit Tai O, also known as the Venice of Asia. Don’t let the name fool you. It’s nowhere close to how lovely and grand Venice, Italy is. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: Tai O’s puny, dilapidated and abandoned. It’s a humble place with waterways, stilt houses and short pedestrian bridges. Cruising on a boat tour and a stroll through the village gave me an indescribable sense of nostalgia. I could picture what it once was. There’s beauty in the forgotten.
Seafood remained a big part of island culture. Middle-aged, female merchants clubbed, scaled, and sold fish directly off their boats. Small businesses along the few, narrow alleyways hung and displayed a variety of dried and preserved seafood goods ready for sale. I hesitated in buying more than a small bottle of spicy XO sauce from locals thinking it might not make it home to the States. Luckily it did so I could enjoy a little piece of Tai O every time I garnished a dish with it.
This porridge is my ode to that special place. A place where people strive to live off the bounty of the water, a place where few still call home and many are still getting to know.
If you like this Sampan Porridge recipe, try my:
Preserved Egg and Pork Loin Porridge (皮蛋瘦肉粥)
Mushroom and Chicken Porridge (北菇滑雞粥)
Sampan Porridge (艇仔粥)
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
This seafood porridge is my ode to Tai O. Lots of opportunity to add umami and to customize it to make it your own.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of jasmine rice
- 1.5-inch knob of ginger, cut into matchsticks
- Filtered water
- 1 pound of seafood mix, defrosted, pat dry
- Salt
- White pepper
- 1/4 cup dried scallops, soaked and rehydrated in 1 cup of filtered water, shredded (optional)
- Chicken broth (optional)
- Optional seasonings: white pepper, sesame oil
- Optional toppings: chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, slivered ginger, pork floss (肉鬆), roasted peanuts, Chinese fried dough (油條)
Instructions
-
Prepare the rice for simmering. Bring 11 cups of filtered water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add the jasmine rice, ginger and dried scallops (if using) into the pot and stir so nothing sits on the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat to medium low so the water gently simmers continuously. Leave the lid partially open and stir occasionally.
-
Prepare the seafood. Lightly season the seafood with salt and pepper. Set aside.
-
Add the seafood. When the porridge appears 90% the consistency you like (mine is around 80 minutes), add the seafood into the porridge. Stir to combine. Allow the seafood to cook as the porridge also finishes to your desired consistency.
-
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!
Notes
Begin the boil with 11 cups of liquid. You can add extra flavor to your porridge by substituting a few cups of water with broth. Boost the umami level by replacing more water with the dried scallop soaking water.
