Chao Ga (Chicken Rice Porridge with Ginger Fish Sauce), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Rub salt all over the chicken to draw out any dirt and off smell, rinse it well and drain it.
2. Put the chicken in a pot with 2 liters water, 5 sliced shallots and 1 tablespoon coarse salt, poach it until cooked through, then lift it out to cool.
3. Shred the chicken and arrange it on a plate with Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) and 1 thinly sliced onion.
4. Add 100g rice and 100g glutinous rice to the poaching liquid and cook over low heat until the grains burst open.
5. Season the porridge with 2 teaspoons seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 2 teaspoons MSG.
6. When the porridge is ready, turn off the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon ground pepper along with chopped spring onion and cilantro.
7. Mix the ginger fish sauce: put 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 3 tablespoons boiling water and the juice of 1 lime in a bowl, stir well, then add 1 small piece of ginger, 3 cloves garlic and 3 chilies pounded to a paste.
8. Ladle the porridge into bowls and serve it hot with the shredded chicken and the ginger fish sauce.

Tips

• A free range bird gives a naturally sweeter broth and firmer, more fragrant meat than a factory raised one.
• Rice and glutinous rice in equal parts give a porridge that is creamy but still has whole grains.
• Add the rice and glutinous rice while the poaching liquid is still very hot, since cool liquid slows the grains from opening up.
• Ginger, garlic and chili are pounded and added to the bowl of fish sauce last so their aroma comes through.
• Skimming the foam while the chicken poaches is what keeps the porridge clear.
• Pepper, spring onion and cilantro go in after the heat is off so their aroma stays.