Rice porridge with mushrooms and wakame

Servings: Makes 4 portions

Savoury porridge is not the first dish that springs to the mind of most Westerners, but in Asian cuisine, rice porridge is a popular dish that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Just as easy to make as its sweeter cousin, just as filling, and just as delicious – if not more so! If you want to infuse your rice porridge with extra seaweed goodness, you can substitute the water for homemade dashi (seaweed stock). Just be careful to adjust the salt levels if you choose to do this, because dashi is naturally salted due to its seaweed component. Top with crispy onions for a naughty-yet-delicious treat.

Instructions:

  1. Wash the rice and then leave to soak in cold water for 30 minutes.
  2. Submerge the winged kelp in cold water and leave to soak until tender.
  3. In a frying pan or wok, heat up the sesame oil. Add the rice and toss for 2 minutes until well coated, then cover with water.
  4. Add the dry mushrooms, sugar kelp and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Clean and chop the mushrooms. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium-high heat, and fry the mushrooms until golden brown.
  6. Drain, rinse and pat dry the winged kelp, then add to the porridge together with three quarters of the fried mushrooms and continue simmering for 15 minutes, until the desired consistency is reached.
  7. Transfer the porridge into the bowls, top with reserved mushrooms and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Products used in this recipe:

  • By ,