Quick & Filling Thai Rice Soup

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Backpacking in Thailand nearly half a lifetime ago, we would have congee for breakfast.  Wikipedia describes it as a rice porridge or gruel which makes it sound distinctly unappetising.  But it is, quite simply a heavily thai flavoured soupy rice dish served with egg or minced pork or sometimes both.

Since returning from our belated gap year (aged 32), I often make a version of this for my lunch with small amounts of frozen rice leftover from the kids' tea.  It is quick, and warming on a cold day like today.

Serves 1

500ml stock (I had some made from 2 pheasant carcasses but you can use chicken or vegetable stock cubes)
A large handful of cooked rice
1 tsp Thai Red curry paste
1 egg
1/2 tsp fish sauce (optional)
Juice of half a lemon or lime juice (optional)
Handful of frozen peas (optional for one your 5-a-day! I think the soup in the photo has shredded kale in it.)

Bring the stock to the boil with the cooked rice in. Stir in the curry paste and leave to simmer for 2 minutes.  Beat the egg in a large soup bowl with the fish sauce and lemon/lime if using.

Turn up the head and add a handful of frozen peas to the hot stock.  When the stock starts to simmer again turn the heat down to a simmer.  Add a couple of soup spoons of the hot stock to the egg mixture, stir it around, then pour the egg into the hot stock and stir until the egg is cooks which only takes about 30 seconds. 

Pour back into the soup bowl and slurp.