Indonesian Bubur Ayam Chicken Congee with Crispy Shallots, Soy and Cakwe

Put the rinsed rice into a large heavy pot with the chicken stock, smashed ginger, garlic and salt. Bring to the boil, then drop to a low simmer.

Ingredients

• For the congee (serves 4):
• 200g jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 litres chicken stock
• 2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs
• 3cm piece ginger, smashed
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• To top:
• Golden fried shallots (bawang goreng)
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• Light soy sauce
• Crispy fried soybeans or peanuts
• Cakwe (Chinese-style fried dough sticks), sliced
• Sambal, to taste

Instructions

1. Put the rinsed rice into a large heavy pot with the chicken stock, smashed ginger, garlic and salt. Bring to the boil, then drop to a low simmer.
2. Add the chicken pieces and poach gently for about 20 minutes until just cooked through. Lift the chicken out, let it cool a little, then shred it finely with two forks. Set aside.
3. Keep simmering the rice, stirring often and scraping the bottom so it does not catch, for 40-50 minutes until the grains have broken down completely into a thick, smooth, creamy porridge. Add a splash more stock or water if it gets too thick — bubur ayam should pour slowly off the spoon.
4. Stir in the sesame oil and taste for salt. Fish out the ginger and garlic.
5. Ladle the hot congee into deep bowls.
6. Top each bowl generously with shredded chicken, crispy fried shallots, sliced spring onion and a scattering of crispy soybeans.
7. Drizzle over sweet soy kecap manis and a little light soy, and tuck slices of crunchy cakwe around the edge.
8. Serve with sambal on the side so everyone can spoon in as much chili heat as they like, and eat while steaming hot.
9. Bubur ayam — literally 'chicken porridge' — is the great breakfast of the Indonesian street, sold from dawn from handcarts and warung stalls across Java and far beyond. It belongs to the wider family of Asian rice congees, but the Indonesian version is unmistakable: a silky bowl of rice cooked down in chicken stock, then loaded with shredded chicken, sweet kecap manis, crunchy fried shallots and soybeans, and a tangle of crisp cakwe dough. The pleasure is all in the contrast — the soft, soothing porridge against salty, sweet and crispy toppings, with a spoon of fiery sambal to wake you up. It is comfort food and street food at once, the bowl that gets Indonesia out the door in the morning.