The notable exception is the family of soupy rice dishes—called jook or the closely related congee in China, juk in Korea, okayu in Japan, and arroz caldo throughout Spanish-speaking countries—that start with white rice kernels. (Our story asks if this might be “The Best Breakfast in the World.”) The only downside is that it takes hours to cook. Enter creamy brown rice hot cereal—a whole-grain alternative that cooks in a flash. Since the rice is coarsely ground, it doesn’t take long before the porridge thickens; then just add water to veer it toward the soupy side. The toppings help you spin it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (See the list that follows for some ideas.) And leftover brown rice jook reheats perfectly in the microwave out of the fridge or freezer.
PrintUnbelievably Quick Brown Rice “Jook” with Garnishes Galore
Prevent your screen from going dark
Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x
Time 15 minutes, plus time to pull together some toppings
Ingredients
- Garnishes galore (see the list that follows or just wing it)
- 1 1/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Creamy Brown Rice Hot Cereal
- 5 cups water, plus 2 cups handy (or use stock, juice, or tea for some or all of the cooking liquid)
- Generous pinch salt
Instructions
- Get your garnishes ready. If you’re serving a crowd, an array of bowls, gravy boats, and platters for everyone to help themselves is a visual treat.
- Whisk the cereal and the 5 cups water (or other liquid) together in a large pot with the salt. Have 2 cups water handy by the stove. Bring the mixture (called a “slurry”) to boil over high heat, whisking occasionally. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat so the slurry plops and bubbles gently. Stir often enough to keep the slurry from sticking and cook, adding splashes of water occasionally, until the color and texture become uniform, about 10 minutes.
- Now you’ve got brown rice jook. Taste for texture. You control how gritty and soupy the jook is by adding more water and cooking and stirring until it’s as smooth and thick as you like, up to 5 more minutes or so. Taste and add salt if necessary and serve right away or keep warm over low heat for up to 10 minutes.
17 ideas for garnishes
- Soy sauce or tamari
- Toasted sesame oil
- Chopped cooked vegetables (steamed, stir-fried, or grilled)
- Shaved raw vegetables (like cabbage or radishes)
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped cashews or peanuts
- Frizzled garlic, ginger, and/or scallions
- Cooked eggs
- Crisp meat, chicken, sausage, or ham
- Leftover stir-fry or stew
- Tinned fish
- Firm or silken tofu (cooked, warmed, or cold)
- Microgreens or bean sprouts
- Tender cilantro sprigs
- Dried or fresh minced chiles
- Chile crisp or hot sauce
- A dab of miso
— Recipe developed by The Bittman Project for Bob’s Red Mill