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Cháo gà
Chicken rice porridge
Cháo gà: Vietnamese chicken rice porridge with ginger, herbs and black pepper
Cháo gà is what Vietnamese mothers cook for anyone with a cold, and what late-night stalls in Hanoi and Saigon ladle out after midnight to people heading home. Toasted rice is simmered in chicken broth until it breaks into a loose, silky porridge, then topped with shredded chicken, lots of ginger and black pepper, spring onion and rau răm, with a side of gỏi gà if you are feeding a crowd. Chef's tip: toast the raw rice in a dry pan before simmering; untoasted rice gives a gluey, bland porridge instead of a nutty, loose one.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz jasmine rice
- 1 oz glutinous ricefor silkiness
- 1 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighsskin removed
- 2 litres water
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh gingerhalf sliced, half cut into fine matchsticks
- 2 shallotshalved
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 1 handful Vietnamese coriander (rau răm)
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)
- 1 lime (optional)wedges
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse 5 ½ oz jasmine rice and 1 oz glutinous rice, drain well and toast in a dry pot over a medium heat, stirring, until the grains are dry, opaque and smell nutty.
6 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅓ lb bone-in chicken thighs, 2 litres water, the sliced half of ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 2 shallots and ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil over a high heat and skim off the foam.
8 minStep 3: Simmer gently, lid ajar, for 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F at the bone. Lift it out, shred the meat and discard the bones.
25 minStep 4: Keep simmering the rice, stirring every few minutes so it does not catch, until the grains have burst and the porridge is loose and creamy. Add hot water if it gets too thick.
15 minStep 5: Season with 2 tbsp fish sauce, stir the chicken back in and heat through for 1 minute.
1 minStep 6: Ladle into bowls and top with the ginger matchsticks from ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 3 spring onions, 1 handful Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), plenty of 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots, with 1 lime on the side.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cháo gà take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of jasmine rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of glutinous rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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