She Strengthens

Comforting Brown Rice Porridge with Gai Lan

This nutritious twist on traditional Chinese rice porridge is a game-changer. By substituting brown rice for white, you’ll get a heartier, nuttier flavor that’s perfect for a chilly evening. Plus, adding gai lan towards the end of cooking adds a delightful texture and sweetness to this light, healthy dish.

What You Need to Know About Gai Lan

Gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale, is a dark green leafy vegetable with crisp, slightly sweet stems. If you can’t find it, don’t worry – broccolini makes a great substitute.

Customize to Your Taste

Feel free to get creative with garnishes like soy sauce, fried shallots, or roasted salted peanuts to give your porridge an extra kick. Want to add some protein? Roasted tofu or a swirled-in beaten egg are both great options. And if you’re craving a white rice version, we’ve got you covered with this congee recipe.

Yield and Cooking Time

This recipe serves 4 and takes approximately 25 minutes of prep time, plus 1 1/2 hours of cooking time.

Easy Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup long-grain brown rice
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, skin on and sliced into 2 pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Pinch freshly ground white pepper, plus more as needed
• 4 ounces gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale), ends trimmed and very thinly sliced crosswise

Simple Cooking Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except gai lan in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice has completely broken down and the mixture is creamy, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Turn off the heat, add the gai lan, and stir until combined and the leaves are wilted.
4. Let sit until the residual heat cooks the gai lan stems to crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy your comforting bowl of brown rice porridge with gai lan!