Steak & Shiitake Mushroom Porridge

Sometimes comfort comes to us with the sound, and smell, of a bubbling hot pot of Porridge. For those that know what I’m typing about, you’ll be envisioning a simmering pot of white lava ( meaning rice ) sitting on the stove. Just waiting to scorch those salivatingly eager taste buds.

This simple yet delicious dish is a breakfast staple in many different countries. It is also an excellent way to use up the last of that cooked rice beckoning you from the fridge, but you have no idea what to do with. Plus, this recipe is quick, easy and versatile, and who doesn’t love one of those!

Don’t just take our word for it though, give this meal a try – after all, the proof is in the Porridge. 
😉🍚

Ingredients

Steak and Shiitake Mushroom Porridge Method

1. Start by prepping all of the ingredients, cut the mushrooms into slices or bite sized chunks. Mince the garlic, cut the ginger into coin sized pieces (no need to peel it) and cut the beef into small cubes or thin strips. This is also a great time cut cut the green onion for garnish later.
   
   
2. Add the olive oil to a hot pan then toss in the garlic and cook for about one minute. Next drop in the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes. Once the beef has started to turn brown and get a little color add in the sliced mushrooms and cook another minute or two. The beef doesn’t have to be fully cooked as it is going to simmer anyway.
   
   
3. Drop in the ginger pieces and the cooked rice and give it all a little stir for good measure. This is also the time to add in the Habanero if you are using it.Next you want to add in the chicken and mushroom broth and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Make sure to keep an eye on it and be sure to stir the mixture every few minutes.
   
   
4. The porridge at this point will look more like a thin soup. As it cooks the grains of rice will “pop” and release their starch, which will begin to thicken everything up. We like to have a kettle of hot water on hand to add into the porridge as it cooks. You want to add a little of the hot water when the mixture starts to look like it is clumping up. This will give the rest of the rice a chance to expand and release all that extra goodness. 
   You can also add stock instead of hot water but be careful as it tends to get a little salty.
   
   
5. After about 30 minutes of stirring and adding water your porridge will be just about finished. Most all of the rice grains will have “popped” and you should have a smooth thick porridge. You can add extra water or broth depending on how thick you want the end product to be.
   Now is a good time to grab a pair of tongs and pull out the coins of ginger. No one likes to bite down on a fat chunk of spicy ginger.
   
   
6. Now it is time to put the final touches on your masterpiece. Grab a spoon and do a little tasting. You will probably want to add in a pinch of salt and a dash of white pepper. White pepper is typically used because not everyone likes the look of the little dark flecks from the black pepper. Although if black pepper is all you have or you do not care about the flecks, then no big deal.
   
   
7. When you are happy with the final product grab a bowl and fill it up!
   Garnish your delicious bowl of steaming hot porridge with chopped scallions, the fried garlic and a dollop of hot chili oil. If you want to take it to yet another level you can add a sunny side up egg on top as well. This is a wonderful addition and makes for an even heartier meal.
   
   
8. That it! 
   There really isn’t much to this dish. You can experiment with different protein’s and vegetables. Or try different broths and change up the garnishes as well. For a vegetarian option you can leave out the meat and use a vegetable broth or even more of the mushroom broth. 
   You can use uncooked rice it just takes twice as long to cook, we also recommend using about half the amount. 
   
   
9. Once you see how easy this is to make it home, and how many people one batch feeds, HaHa. 
   This will become a breakfast staple in your house as well.
   
   
10. Give us a shout in the comments and let us know your favorite variations and flavors. We always love hearing about what other people try.
    
    

Until next time, keep on Seeking everything Savory.

These are a few of our favorite items used in this recipe you might like.