Congee with nirvana chicken and scallion salsa
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 60 minutes Makes: 4 to 6 servings From “Myers + Chang at Home” by Joanne Chang and Karen Akunowicz. Make the recipe for nirvana chicken ahead (recipe below the congee), then make the congee and its other components, the salsa and crispy shallots. SCALLION SALSA 4 to 5 green onions, white and green
parts thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup) 5 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 fresh Thai bird chile, sliced Congee: 1 recipe nirvana chicken (see recipe) 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice 1 recipe crispy shallots (see recipe) Instructions:
For the scallion salsa, combine the green onions, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and Thai bird chile in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
For the congee, remove the nirvana chicken from the braising liquid and set aside. (If you made the chicken in advance, rewarm the chicken and braising liquid.) Strain the braising liquid through a finemesh strainer into a medium saucepan to remove solids and spoon off fat. (You’ll have about 2 1/2 cups.)
Add the broth and 4 cups water to the strained liquid, and bring it to a simmer. Add the rice, and simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour, stirring frequently, so that the rice never sticks to the bottom. The congee should be loose and soupy, so if it starts to thicken, add more water to loosen it up. (If using an Instant Pot, combine liquids and rice, and cook for 25 minutes on “porridge” setting, and allow pot to vent naturally.)
While the rice is cooking, pull the chicken meat off the bones. Optional: Crisp chicken skin in the oven (place on a baking sheet, and slide into a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes), and chop. When the rice is almost melty and the liquid has thickened, 60 to 90 minutes, add pulled meat to pot and stir.
Divide congee among four to six bowls, top with scallion salsa, shallots and chicken skin (if using), and eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Nutrition information per serving
(for 6 servings): 207 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 47 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 15 g protein, 2,423 mg sodium, 1 g fiber NIRVANA CHICKEN Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 2 hours, 15 minutes 1 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 4 to 5 green onions, white and green
parts thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup) 1 piece (2 inches long) ginger, peeled,
sliced into coins 3 medium cloves garlic, sliced 1/2 cups low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup michiu (rice cooking wine), dry
sherry or dry white wine 2 teaspoons sambal oelek 2 whole star anise Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over high heat until it shimmers. Sear chicken thighs, turning from time to time until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken, drain the fat in the pot and turn heat down to medium.
Add the broth to the pot, and scrape up browned bits. Add green onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, michiu, sambal oelek, star anise and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer.
Return chicken thighs to the pot, skin side up. Cover tightly and place in the oven. Cook until chicken is falling off the bone, 60 to 90 minutes. Chicken can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in braising liquid in the refrigerator. CRISPY SHALLOTS 4 medium shallots 2 cups vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions: Slice shallots as thin as possible. Combine with oil in a small saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat, and stir until oil barely simmers. Cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes. Drain shallots on paper towels, and dust with salt. Shallots keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 5 days.