Cháo Cá Nấm Hào (Fish Porridge with Dried King Oyster Mushroom)

Waking up in the morning to a steamy bowl of cháo lòng (pork innards rice porridge) would make my husband's day. But since I dislike working with innards I prefer cooking fish porridge with oyster mushrooms instead.

I love mushrooms in general, but the oyster mushroom is a new type that I recently discovered and came to love. When cooked, it gives the typical mushroom umami flavors but with a texture similar to that of abalone. Its texture becomes smooth, slightly chewy with a little crunch at the end.

You can use these King Oyster Mushrooms in various dishes such as noodle soup, sauteed with other types of mushrooms, stir-fried or you can also grill it. A few weeks ago during our camping trip to Donner Lake, I made a pot of chicken glass noodle soup cooked with dried king oyster mushrooms for breakfast. The mushroom brought the sweetness and wonderful flavor to the broth. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

RECIPE: Fish Porridge with Dried King Oyster Mushroom

Ingredients

12 cups Water

2 cups White Rice

1/3 bag Oyster Mushroom, about 2 handfull

2 cuts of fish

2 tablespoons Shredded Fresh Ginger

6-8 White Part of Spring Onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional

Prepare Rice

Rinse and drain the rice. Add the water and bring to boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for about half an hour. While the rice is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare King Oyster Mushroom

Wash mushroom and soak it in warm water for about 15 minutes or until soft. Slice the mushroom into any shapes and size you prefer. Keep the mushroom water for later use.

Prepare Escolar Fish Steak

Remove the skin. Cut fish steak into small cubes. Set it aside.

Fish Steak, Mushroom, Scallion and Ginger

Making Chao

Add the water that you soaked the mushroom in earlier into the porridge pot. Add mushroom, ginger, white part of spring onion and continue simmering it for another half an hour until the mushroom is soft and the rice blends with water and and loosen the starch. If poridge is a little bit thick for you, just add a little more of water.

Place the fish, salt, msg in the porridge pot and stir gently. Cook for a few more minutes, so that all the ingredients blend together.

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