Dried Shrimp Rice Congee

Dried Shrimp Rice Congee

Yesterday was Holocaust Memorial Day. The Teenager made a presentation at school with his classmates so that everyone may respect and remember this period in our history. Last evening, Hub watched a documentary on the Holocaust on French TV. It started with the post-war tribunal judging the top German Nazis responsible and it was really horrifying watching the images, hearing the testimonies of some of the survivors (especially the ones about the gas chambers and children being thrown alive into the crematorium because they ran out of gas...), my stomach started churning and I felt really sick.

It is difficult to imagine that all these happened within living memory. That everyday before, during and after, we are still suffering and killing in so many parts of the world. That there are not many pockets of peace when you start looking at the world map. What are we doing? What kind of a world is our children inheriting?

On a happier note, we received a letter from Baby Boy. It is crazy how a letter written in phonetics (meaning we couldn't really make it out) could make us so happy just because our son wrote it. It was part of his unit of enquiry on communications. We kissed him silly for that. Baby Girl has sent her letter to my parents in Singapore. What is interesting is that both letters took the same amount of time to reach their destinations - one within the same city and the other across the seas to Singapore.

Hub was right to wonder if I hadn't taken out too many dried shrimps to be soaked. I have forgotten that they expand when soaked and now I have loads of dried shrimp that I must use up quickly. And it's not the kind of thing that can be slipped into anything you cook. Have therefore decided to make a Dried Shrimp Rice Congee for breakfast this morning.

It was lovely, the air in the kitchen smelt so shrimpy and sweet. I prepared 2 little dishes to go with my congee : Fried Cabbage with Minced Dried Shrimp (reminiscent of those days when mum used to fry cabbage with dried shrimps) and a simple Indian Chicken Curry.

With Fried Cabbage and Chicken Curry

Dried Shrimp Rice Congee :

1 cup broken Thai fragrant rice (washed and soaked for a few hours)

2 Tsp Sesame oil

Fresh Ginger (shredded)

2 handfuls of Dried Shrimp (soaked and drained, reserving the liquid)

Chinese sausage (minced, optional)

Liquid from soaked dried shrimps

2-3 cups Water

Salt to taste

In a pot, heat up the sesame oil and fry the ginger in it till fragrant. Add the drained soaked dried shrimps and fry till the air turns pungent. Add the drained broken rice and mix well.

Pour in the liquid from the soaked dried shrimps and then the water.

Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer till the congee thickens. If you like it more watery, add more water.

Garnish with fried shallots and in my case, with roasted minced dried shrimps as well. Serve hot.