Name: Chicken Jook
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 1/4 hr
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 bunch scallions; 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled; 12 fresh cilantro sprigs; 1 (2 1/2- to 3-lb) whole chicken; 2 teaspoons salt; 3 qt cold water; 1/4 cup dried scallops* (about 10); 3/4 cup long-grain rice; 1/4 cup Chinese (short-grain) sticky rice* (also called glutinous); Accompaniments: soy-sauce-pickled cucumbers*; pickled mustard greens; thousand-year-old eggs, shelled and cut into wedges; smoked tofu*, cut into slices; Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves; a small square of cheesecloth; kitchen string

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Chicken Jook

Food Editor: Lillian Chou
Father: Kuo Hung Chou, Pine Brook, NJ
Jook, a rice porridge, is eaten at breakfast or as a light lunch in many parts of Asia. Although my father came from Shanghai, he preferred the more flavorful Cantonese version my mother made. Breakfast with "Baba"("Daddy" in Mandarin) on Sundays meant a table adorned with many small dishes of condiments. One of his favorites was "thousand-year-old eggs" (pei dan), which are actually chicken or duck eggs preserved in a mixture of clay, lime, and salt.

Thousand-year-old eggs are available at Chinese markets, where they're sold individually or in packs of six. (Don't confuse them with "salted eggs," which are brined duck eggs.) Since their quality varies widely, it pays to buy a more expensive variety, if available.

Cooks' note:

Jook can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to a boil before serving.

*Available at Kam Man Food Products (212-571-0330).

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