Fresh Chinese Yam Porridge

I saw some fresh Chinese yam, also known as huái shān (淮山), shān yào (山药), or huái shān yào (淮山药), selling at Tesco @RM9.90 per kilogram. I remembered fresh Chinese yam can be used for soup. So, I bought one fresh Chinese yam about 6 inches long (cost RM2.20). While my initial thought was to use it to cook soup, I came across a porridge recipe from The Soup Queen blog (http://soupqueen.blogspot.com) using fresh Chinese yam. So, why not give it a try? Since my J.Shan is having sole throat, porridge is easier for her to swallow too.

The ingredients used by The Soup Queen for her porridge are rice, fresh Chinese yam and minced pork. Since I have a chicken bone body, I put that in too, as chicken stock for the porridge. And the outcome is my porridge taste super good! Anyway, I am not sure whether it was due to the chicken bone or Chinese yam.

Steps:

1. Wash rice (I use white rice mixed with Sabah organic red rice). Add a bit of salt, garlic oil and sesame oil to the washed rice. Set aside.
2. Marinate the minced pork with light soy sauce, sesame oil and a bit of corn flour for 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Peel the skin of the Chinese yam, then cut into slices (about 1cm length each).
Note: The inside of the yam is slimy and the liquid sticks to the hand may cause itchiness. I used the plastic bag to hold the yam while I peeled off its skin and cut into slices to avoid direct contact with the inside of the yam.


4. Blanch the chicken bone body in boiling water.
5. Boil separately another pot of water.
6. Put the rice, Chinese yam slices and blanched chicken to the pot of boiling water.
7. Cook at medium heat for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to simmer for another 30 minutes.
8. When almost done, use a teaspoon to scoop small portion of minced pork into the porridge as little meat ball (not exactly in round ball shape).
9. Add a teaspoon of salt (or up to your own preference) to taste.
10. Cover the lid and wait for at least 5 minutes before serve.

The porridge taste good and my kids love it! I also cooked omelette with tomato just to make sure there are vegetable included in their meals (my kids love this dish). I shall buy another one to try the soup recipe (using spare ribs, fresh Chinese yam and red dates only) next week.