Savory Rice Porridge with Nettles

Savory Rice Porridge with Nettles made with Koda Farms rice

You may recognize Koda Farms‘ Kokuho Rose rice as the star ingredient in Sqirl’s sorrel rice bowl or from M Cafe de Chaya’s whole grain bowls. If you’ve eaten at Minh Phan’s much touted Porridge & Puffs pop up, you’ve tasted it in her porridge too.

Fortunately farmers’ market customers now have access to Robin Koda’s rice (both brown and white) once a month when she visits the Hollywood and Santa Monica markets. This week, Amelia Saltsman, author of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook shares her recipe for Savory Rice Porridge with Nettles, a dish that was inspired by Robin’s white Kokuho Rose rice.

Robin will be at the Sunday Hollywood Market this weekend on January 18th. She will be at the Santa Monica market on Wednesday, January 21st.

You can also find her rice at Sqirl, M Cafe de Chaya, Cookbook, Mitsuwa, Mother Moo Creamery, Monsieur Marcel and Marukai markets.

Savory Rice Porridge with Nettles

Makes 4 servings

For vegan version, use vegetable stock and skip the egg drop step.

1 onion, chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons mild oil, such as avocado

1 bunch nettles, leaves and fine stems only

2/3 cup raw rice, or 2 cups leftover cooked rice

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock or dashi

2 eggs

2 to 3 tablespoons wheat or rice flour

Kosher or sea salt

Togarashi or other red pepper flakes, optional

Cook onion and a little salt in the oil in a wide pot set over medium heat until softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes, reducing heat as needed to prevent browning.

Stir in nettles and cook a minute or two to wilt. Add rice and most of the stock. Bring to a gentle boil, cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has thickened a bit from the starch in the rice, about 20 minutes for raw rice and about 15 for cooked rice. Add remaining stock to the pot and season to taste with salt. You may simmer the porridge longer to thicken it into more of a porridge, if you like, adding salt and additional stock or water to reach consistency you like.

Lightly whisk the eggs with a fork and stir in the flour until barely blended; some small lumps are okay. Drizzle the egg mixture into the porridge, allowing it to fall from the tines of the fork in little puddles. Simmer until the egg drops are fluffy and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve in bowls and season with red pepper, if desired.

© 2015, Amelia Saltsman.