Quick 15-Minute Thai Pork Congee (Jok)

Warm 3 cups of cooked jasmine rice in the microwave if cold. Place the warm rice into a blender and add 2 cups of unsalted pork stock. Pulse briefly until the rice grains are broken down into small pieces, taking care not to blend it into a completely smooth puree.

Pour the blended rice mixture into a cooking pot. Pour the remaining 2 cups of pork stock into the blender container to rinse out any leftover rice bits, then add it to the pot. Turn heat to medium and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice softens and thickens.

In a mixing bowl, combine 250g ground pork, 2 cloves pounded garlic, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar. Knead and mix thoroughly by hand until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined.

Check the congee after 10 minutes of simmering; it should be thick with plump rice grains. Add 1/4 cup water if too thick. Season the congee by adding 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp soy sauce and 2 tsp fish sauce, stirring well into the porridge.

Temporarily turn off the stove burner. Using two teaspoons, scoop spoonfuls of the seasoned ground pork mixture and roll between the spoons to form bite-sized meatballs, dropping them directly into the pot of congee.

Turn the stove burner back on to medium heat. Add an extra 1/4 cup of water if necessary to adjust fluidity. Simmer gently for about 3 minutes, stirring softly around the meatballs, until the pork is completely cooked through and opaque.

Add 1 tbsp of julienned fresh ginger directly into the hot pot of congee. Stir it in thoroughly and allow it to sit for a minute to infuse its fresh spicy aroma throughout the porridge.

Ladle the steaming hot congee and pork meatballs into individual serving bowls. Top with an extra 1 tbsp of julienned ginger, 2 tbsp of chopped green onions, and a sprinkle of ground white pepper before serving immediately.