Bubur Lambuk

This porridge has never failed to amaze me, the infusion of flavours within itself is just oh sooo heavenly. During the Muslim fasting month, this porridge will be distributed free around Masjid Jamek in Kuala Lumpur. The major ingredients are mixed spices and coconut milk. Nothing complicated, it is a simple meal on its own but it's amazing how such a simple meal can have one of the best flavours, maybe that's why they said less is more.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication -- Leonardo da Vinci



Ingredients: (serve 2)

• 100g white rice
• 100ml coconut milk (I just use those packed in tetra packaging)
• 250g shitake mushroom cube, chopped into bite-size pieces (the original recipe calls for beef, if you don't eat beef, I suppose you can substitute with chicken, but not sure how the taste will differ though. I am a vegetarian, so I used shitake mushrom cube because the texture and look are close to beef when cooked.)
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 tbsp ghee (I replaced with oil)
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• water (adjust according to how thick you want the porridge to be)
• fried shallot (optional - but, I bet the taste will be even nicer with it)

Spice mix:

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 pieces cloves
• 1/2 piece star anise
• 1 piece cardamom

Pounded ingredients:

• 1/2 inch ginger
• 3 shallot
• 3 garlic

Blended ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp cumin seed
• 1/2 tsp coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorn

Method:

1. Heat oil and ghee. Add pounded ingredients and stir fry till fragrant.
2. Add spice mix, blended ingredients and shitake mushroom cubes. Cook till the cubes are tender.
3. Pour in water. Add lemongrass and rice. Bring rice and water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till rice turns into the texture of a porridge.
4. Add coconut milk and season to taste with salt.
5. Serve with a sprinkle of fried shallots on top.