In Emirati homes, Ramadan without a nightly casserole of harees is the equivalent of a Thanksgiving without turkey, a Halloween without candy, an Easter without eggs. Harees, that rib-sticking, regional stalwart of meat and wheat, sometimes as thick as concrete, is a quintessential part of the Emirati culinary lexicon. When it comes to gruel, my allegiance lies with Harees' fairer, lighter-bodied sibling, ursiyah, a perennial favourite in our home, made with rice in lieu of wheat.
Like chicken soup and milk toast, ursiyah is not a dish that challenges the palate or the digestive tract. It is bland and pleasant, therapeutic and nourishing, inexpensive to make, easy on the gums and throat, ideal for infants and the elderly, and can be enjoyed by the thriving and ailing alike. Traditionally, ursiyah should taste like the very essence of chicken and rice, seasoned with nothing but salt, and enriched with a buttery slick of ghee.
Since ursiyah is merely rice porridge, it can be made and dressed- like congee in the Asian countries where it is consumed: Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and Burma. Chopped green onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, julienned ginger, white pepper, shredded chicken meat, crispy fried shallots and garlic, salmon, roe, sambal and chilli paste all make fine accompaniments to soupy, brothy rice.
Rice porridge can be made in an ordinary pot, a rice cooker, or a Crock-Pot. When I was in Chinese medicine school, rice porridge with almond milk and dried fruit, or in the form of Cantonese-style congee, was what most students ate for breakfast. Crock-Pots were popular so that students could begin the cooking process before bedtime, and in the morning, the porridge would be ready to eat. Known as lúgao in the Philippines and okayu in Japan, it is often the first taste of solid food to which Japanese babies are introduced. In Korea, rice porridge is known as juk (pronounced jook); my favourite versions include abalone, lots of vegetables, and a multitude of spicy pickles such as kimchi and pickled cuttlefish.
The ratio of rice to water in ursiyah will depend largely on your textural preferences for the dish. Personally, I tend to opt for a ratio of 10:1, but Cantonese rice porridge can contain around 20 per cent more water, and Japanese rice porridge can contain as much as double the amount of rice. Congee/ursiyah Recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine One 1.5 kilo chicken, preferably organic and free-range, quartered 10 cups water 1 tsp salt 1 cup long-grain rice ¼ cup clarified butter (ghee)
Method Boil chicken quarters and water in a large pot and skim foam. Add salt and simmer uncovered for three hours, skimming at regular intervals. At about half an hour into boiling, remove one of the breasts and reserve. Once the breast has cooled, remove skin and bones, and return them to the stock. When breast is completely cooled, shred. Place in a bowl. After three hours, strain the stock into a bowl, discarding solids. You should have about eight cups of stock; if not, add water. Rinse stock pot, then return strained stock to it and add the rice. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for almost two hours or until the mixture has the consistency of hot cereal. Remember to stir frequently. Season with salt. Serve topped with the pulled chicken and drizzled with clarified butter.
Variation: Instead of clarified butter, mix ¼ cup of chopped green onions and 1 tsp each of minced ginger and garlic with 1 tbsp each of sesame oil and soy sauce in a small bowl. Mix and spoon over rice porridge. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serves 4-6.
