Tainan Milkfish Congee

Ingredients

• 400g milkfish belly or sea bass fillet
• 1 tsp salt, for curing the fish
• 1.2 litres light pork or fish stock
• 500g cooked short-grain rice, ideally day-old
• 30g ginger, cut into fine threads
• 2 stalks Chinese celery, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp fried shallots
• 2 tbsp shallot oil
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 youtiao, to serve
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce, to taste

Before you cook

• Cut the milkfish belly into 4cm pieces and sprinkle them with the teaspoon of salt.
• Leave the fish for ten minutes, then rinse it and pat it thoroughly dry.
• Cut the ginger into threads as fine as you can manage.
• Finely chop the Chinese celery, leaves included.
• Break up the cold cooked rice with wet fingers so no clumps remain.

Steps

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a wide pan.
2. Add the rice wine, salt and white pepper.
3. Slide the fish pieces into the simmering stock and poach them for four minutes until just opaque.
4. Lift the fish out carefully with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
5. Add the loosened rice to the stock and bring it back to a simmer.
6. Cook for six minutes, stirring once or twice, until the grains have swollen but still hold their shape.
7. Taste the broth and adjust it with soy sauce and more white pepper.
8. Return the fish to the pan and warm it through for one minute without stirring hard.
9. Ladle the congee into four bowls, dividing the fish evenly.
10. Scatter over the ginger threads, chopped celery and fried shallots.
11. Drizzle a little shallot oil across each bowl.
12. Toast the youtiao, cut it into lengths and serve it alongside for dunking.