Chicken porridge, or Bubur Ayam in Malay, is a well-known comfort food. This tasty porridge is easy to digest and a great meal for people who feel under the weather. It is well known in Asian countries as well as Turkey, Portugal, and Greece.
What is Chicken Porridge?
Chicken porridge consists of rice, chicken, and water. The rice is cooked in a large amount of water until it softens significantly. The rice will break down and create a thick, white porridge. Addition of chicken meat and some condiments makes it a savoury dish.
The chicken meat is usually shredded and put on top of the porridge. Some of the condiments that are usually served along chicken porridge are chopped scallion, crispy fried shallots, and chilli paste. It is a favourite breakfast dish or for a light meal.
The History
Chicken porridge is modified from the Chinese chicken congee. The Chinese congee has been around since 1000 BC. There are many types of grain-based gruels at the time. The congee is made from cornmeal, barley, and millet. It is usually served during times of famines or when many people visited the temples, one of the ways to stretch the rice supply to feed a massive amount of people.
During Qing dynasty, from the year 1636 to 1912, there are about 237 different ways of preparing this porridge, depending on the availability of ingredients and cultural influences. Chinese congee is widespread in other Asian countries, and its influences can be seen with the use of youtiao (Chinese breadstick) and soy sauce.
The Popularity of Chicken Porridge
The dish has a soft texture and is always served hot, making it a comfort food for many people. It is suitable for young children or people who fall sick and also great as a light meal at any time of the day.
The popularity of this dish causes it to be included in the fast-food menu. This bowl of comfort is widely available at McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise throughout Malaysia and Indonesia. Besides that, there is an instant version available in markets that only require adding hot water to prepare.
Besides the common condiments, it is also served with satay and internal organs such as intestine, liver, or heart.
In Thailand, the dish is known as Khao Tom. They prefer to use fragrant jasmine rice and cooked it in chicken broth, ginger, and fish sauce. Once the porridge is almost ready, shredded chicken meat is mixed in. Khao Tom typically served with chilli paste, pickled vegetables, chopped shallots, and soy sauce.
Where to find in Malaysia
The dish is widely available throughout Malaysia. You can find it from street-side stalls to high-end restaurants. There are also various types of the dish available depending on the ingredients.
Try the Chicken Porridge from Master Chicken Porridge (Bandar Putra Permai). Or you can try a different version of the dish from Under The Tree Porridge (Penang). It serves porridge with various combination of meat like fish and pork.
You can also prepare your own bowl of Chicken Porridge at home by using our recipe.
Can’t get enough from a bowl of porridge? You can search for more Chinese cuisine on foodpanda!