Veggie lugaw (Filipino vegetable congee)
In the Philippines, they also have their version of rice porridge called “Lugaw” which was adopted by Chinese migrants. Also popular for breakfast, as a light meal, and also made when someone isn’t feeling well.
YIELDS
6
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice
- 1/2 cup of scented Thai Jasmine (long grain) rice
- 4 cups vegetable broth (homemade/store bought)
- 2 cups water, have more handy
- Vegetable oil, or oil of choice
- 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced (about 6 large mushrooms)
- 1 shallot, sliced, reserve half for the topping
- 2 bulbs of garlic, peeled and minced (1/8 cup for sauté, reserve remaining for topping)
- 3 ginger slices (2 x 2 inch x 2mm thick)
- 1 teaspoon safflower
- Pinch turmeric
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Salt and black pepper, to season
Directions
- Clean the rice: Combine both rice in one large bowl and add enough room temperature water to fully submerge the rice. Swirl the rice around. Drain and repeat a few times until the water looks clear. Drain and set aside.
- Heat up a large pot, add oil, and sauté the sliced mushrooms. Pinch of salt. Cook until slightly softened, remove and set aside.
- Add oil to the same heated pot, and sauté the minced garlic (one-eighth of a cup) and half of the shallots.
- Add the rice, vegetable stock, water, and ginger slices to the aromatics, and bring the liquid to a boil. Make sure to stir the mixture at the start and periodically to prevent the rice from sticking. Simmer on low-medium heat.
- Once the rice thickens, add the safflower and turmeric, and soy sauce. Add salt and black pepper to season. Add more water as needed to your preferred thickness.
- Add the sauteed mushrooms into the lugaw and mix.
- In a pan or small pot, add enough oil to shallow fry the garlic and shallots. Heat the pan/pot to medium heat and add the garlic. Turn the heat on low, move the garlic around, and remove as soon as the garlic becomes golden.
- Repeat the shallow fry steps with the shallots. Plate the garlic and shallots.
- Plate the cut lime wedges and sliced scallions for serving
- Ladle the lugaw into a bowl. Top with fried garlic, shallots, and scallions. A squeeze of lime/calamansi.
- Add additional pepper if desired. Serve and enjoy!
