tastes like home

it was raining the other day when i left for work. scanning the gray, moody landscape as it raced by, i sat and listened to the odd rhythms made by drops pelting the pre-dawn train. i had my usual pecan ring and large hot tea breakfast bought for 2 bucks at a food cart on the corner of 5th and 32nd. i felt cozy and a little melancholic.

as far as i can remember, i have always felt a bit melancholic when it rained. instead of depressing me, however, the melancholy actually makes me feel better. melancholy could mean different things to different people. for teenagers, it’s often an affectation that feeds their self-image as misunderstood and alone. and there is the type that flirts with depression and mental illness. in my case, my reaction has nothing to with the actual weather, but is connected instead to all my fine memories of cold, rainy days and comfort food.

comfort food make us feel better. typically simple fares from childhood, these dishes sooth the mind and allow us to take a step back from life. like one of my ex-girlfriends who has an weakness hard-boiled eggs because she remembers her dad giving her one hot from the pot on many winter mornings. it warmed her hands and served as breakfast on her way to school. my comfort food is congee.

also known as rice gruel or jook, congee is the most unassuming dish. basically rice cooked with extra water until it’s a thick, soupy carbfest with trace of starchy sweetness. i usually have mine with various chinese pickles and scrambled scallion eggs, and could serve as breakfast, lunch or dinner. but you can pretty much eat it however with whatever.

again, there is no exact recipe, only the outline below. tweaking to taste is encouraged:

congee

1 cup of rice (short grained preferred)
water

in a medium size pot, add rice and fill the pot 2/3 full with water;
after bring it to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 1-2 hours to desired thickness. do not stir.

scallion eggs:

two eggs
2 tablespoons of peanut or safflower oil
2 scallions, finely chopped
soy sauce

heat pan with oil until just starts to smoke;
beat eggs well until almost frothy (makes for puffier eggs) and pour slowly into the pan;
the eggs should fluff as it hits the hot oil; scramble for about 5 seconds;
add scallions and season with soy sauce to taste; scramble for another 10 seconds and serve.

roy hargrove’s interpretation of the warren/dubin standard “september in the rain,” taken from his 1994 “approaching standards” album, is warm and velvety like long-simmering congee, down to the hint of sweetness. allen toussaint’s “southern nights,” on the other hand, is like scallion and eggs; it tastes like home.

Posted by cellpharmer at December 8, 2004 07:06 PM