Print

Unbelievably 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

Scale

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. Soy sauce or tamari
  2. Toasted sesame oil
  3. Chopped cooked vegetables (steamed, stir-fried, or grilled)
  4. Shaved raw vegetables (like cabbage or radishes)
  5. Sliced avocado
  6. Chopped cashews or peanuts
  7. Frizzled garlic, ginger, and/or scallions
  8. Cooked eggs
  9. Crisp meat, chicken, sausage, or ham
  10. Leftover stir-fry or stew
  11. Tinned fish
  12. Firm or silken tofu (cooked, warmed, or cold)
  13. Microgreens or bean sprouts
  14. Tender cilantro sprigs
  15. Dried or fresh minced chiles
  16. Chile crisp or hot sauce
  17. A dab of miso

— Recipe developed by The Bittman Project for Bob’s Red Mill