Bobor (Khmer Rice Porridge)

Easy·10 min

A Cambodian rice porridge simmered until the grains break down into a soft congee, ladled over poached chicken or fish and finished with ginger, fried garlic, herbs and a splash of fish sauce.

Bobor is Cambodia's ultimate comfort food, eaten for breakfast, served to the sick and ladled out from street stalls at all hours. Frugal in its base of rice and water yet endlessly dressed up with poached chicken, fish or simply pickles, it is the warm, restorative bowl nearly every Khmer cook keeps in their repertoire.

Each spoonful is warm, silky and gently savoury, the rice melted into a soft cloud carrying tender shreds of chicken. Bright ginger, crackly fried garlic and fresh herbs lift it from plain comfort into something fragrant and alive.

Long, gentle simmering with plenty of liquid gelatinises the rice starch, breaking the grains into the creamy, thickened texture of congee. Aromatic toppings added at the end keep their fresh fragrance and crunch, contrasting the soft porridge underneath.

Variations

With fish instead of chicken, plain bobor with pickled vegetables and salted egg, with minced pork, mung bean version

On the Palate

Where Bobor (Khmer Rice Porridge) sits in the Cambodian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 cupJasmine Rice

400 gChicken

1 thumb, juliennedGinger

4 clovesGarlic

2 tbspFish Sauce

2 stalksScallions

1 small bunchCilantro

How it's made

8 steps · 10 min

1
3 min
Rinse the rice and add it to a pot with a generous amount of water or stock.
2
25 min
Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains break down.
Watch out
Simmer low and stir now and then until the grains burst and break down — that's what turns it from rice-in-water into creamy congee.
3
12 min
Poach the chicken pieces gently in the porridge or in separate stock until cooked through.
4
3 min
If poached separately, shred the chicken and stir some back into the porridge.
5
2 min
Season the porridge with fish sauce, salt and a little sugar to taste.
6
8 min
Add julienned ginger and simmer until the porridge is silky and thickened.
Watch out
Keep cooking until the porridge turns silky and coats the spoon — thin and watery means it needs more time to thicken.
7
4 min
Fry garlic in oil until golden for a fragrant topping.
Watch out
Pull the garlic the second it's pale gold — it keeps darkening off the heat and turns bitter if you wait for deep brown.
8
2 min
Ladle into bowls and top with chicken, fried garlic, spring onion, coriander and pepper.