Brown Rice and Gai Lan Jook (Rice Porridge)

This thicker, vegetarian take on traditional Chinese rice porridge is just as comforting and simple to make. The brown rice gives the jook a hearty, nutty flavor, and stirring in gai lan at the end adds some texture and sweetness to this light, healthy dish.

What to buy: Gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale, is a dark green leafy vegetable with stems that are crisp and slightly sweet. If you can’t find gai lan, substitute broccolini.

Game plan: Feel free to add more garnishes like soy sauce, fried shallots, or roasted salted peanuts to spice up this dish. And if you want to include some protein, roasted tofu makes a good addition; you could also swirl in a beaten egg as the porridge cooks.

For a white rice version, try this congee recipe.