Teochew porridge facts for kids
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Teochew porridge (front) with side dishes
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| Alternative names | Teochew muay, Teochew mue, Chaozhou rice porridge |
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| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Chaoshan, China |
| Region or state | Malaysia, Singapore and Chaozhou |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Teochew muay (rice porridge) accompanied with small plates of side dishes like braised pork, steamed or fried fish, fish cake, salted egg, omelet, minced meat, braised tau kway, hei bee hiang and vegetables |
| Variations | Cantonese congee |
Teochew porridge (Chinese: 潮州糜) is a special rice porridge from the Teochew people. It's not just plain porridge; it comes with many small dishes on the side. Think of it like a mini-feast! You get different meats, fish, eggs, and vegetables to eat with your simple rice porridge.
The porridge itself is usually plain, but sometimes it has sweet potatoes mixed in. The rice grains are cooked until they are soft, but they still keep their shape. They aren't overly mushy or starchy. Because the porridge is mild, it's perfect for eating with the tasty, often salty, side dishes. This dish started in a place called Chaozhou in China. Later, people who moved to Malaysia and Singapore changed the recipe a bit to fit local tastes.
Teochew Porridge in Singapore
In Singapore, Teochew-style porridge is often eaten with a variety of side dishes that are popular among Singaporean Chinese. There isn't a set list of dishes you must have. However, in Singapore, you'll often find things like lor bak (braised pork), steamed fish, and stir-fried water spinach (a vegetable dish). Other common sides include salted eggs, fish cakes, tofu, omelets, minced meat, and a spicy shrimp paste called Hei Bee Hiang.
Teochew dishes are known for being simple and letting the natural flavors shine. Each dish is cooked with very little seasoning. This helps to keep the original taste of the ingredients. For example, steamed fish, a famous Teochew dish, is usually seasoned only with a light sauce, spring onions, ginger slices, and a sprinkle of fresh red pepper. This way, you can really taste the freshness and sweetness of the seafood.
When to Enjoy Teochew Porridge
Teochew porridge is considered a "comfort food." This means it's a meal that makes you feel warm and happy. People enjoy it for breakfast to start their day or as a late-night supper. Since 2016, Singapore Airlines has even started serving Teochew cuisine, including Teochew porridge, on some of its flights!
Popular Side Dishes
Here are some of the delicious side dishes you might find with Teochew porridge:
- Steamed fish: This fish dish is seasoned simply with soy sauce, spring onions, slices of ginger, and fresh red pepper.
- Salted egg: These are duck eggs that have been preserved. They are made by soaking the eggs in salty water or by packing them in damp, salted charcoal.
- Fishcake: This is made from minced fish meat that has been pounded. In Singapore, a type of fish called ikan parang or sai tor her (which is wolf herring) is often used to make fish cakes.
- Omelet: A simple dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked in a pan with butter or oil.
- Hei bee hiang: This is a popular spicy and savory condiment in Singapore. It's made by stir-frying shrimp paste with chopped dried shrimp, shallots, and garlic.
- Stir-fried water spinach: A tasty vegetable dish, sometimes cooked with anchovies.
- Lor ark: This is a Teochew-style braised duck, cooked with soy sauce.
- Braised pig's skin: A pork dish that is braised (cooked slowly in liquid) with soy sauce.
