Sampan Congee

Ingredients

• 200g jasmine rice
• 2.5 litres water or light chicken stock
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus 1/2 tsp for the rice
• 150g skinless white fish fillet, such as sea bass or tilapia
• 100g raw prawns, peeled
• 100g pork loin
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 5cm piece ginger
• 3 spring onions
• 40g roasted peanuts
• 1 stick youtiao (Chinese fried dough)
• Small handful coriander

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain it well.
• Toss the drained rice with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and leave it for 30 minutes.
• Slice the fish into thin pieces about the size of a stamp.
• Slice the pork thinly across the grain and toss it with the cornflour, 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce and a splash of water.
• Cut the prawns in half lengthways and shred the ginger as finely as you can.
• Slice the spring onions, chop the coriander and cut the youtiao into thin rounds.

Steps

1. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large heavy pot.
2. Add the oiled rice and stir once so nothing sticks to the base.
3. Boil hard for 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
4. Drop the heat to a lazy simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the grains burst and the congee turns thick and creamy.
5. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and the white pepper.
6. Add the shredded ginger and simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Slide in the pork and stir for 1 minute, until it turns pale.
8. Add the fish slices and prawns, then turn off the heat immediately.
9. Cover the pot and leave it for 3 minutes so the residual heat cooks the seafood gently.
10. Ladle the congee into deep bowls.
11. Top each bowl with peanuts, sliced youtiao, spring onion and coriander.
12. Add a splash of the remaining soy sauce at the table and eat before the fried dough softens.