Singapore Frog Porridge

Ingredients

• Porridge: 180 g jasmine rice
• Porridge: 1.8–2 L water or light chicken stock
• Porridge: 4 slices ginger
• Porridge: 1/2 tsp salt
• Porridge: few drops sesame oil (optional)
• Frog meat: 500–700 g frog meat, usually frog legs
• Frog marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• Frog marinade: 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• Frog marinade: 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or cooking wine
• Frog marinade: 1 tsp brown sugar
• Frog marinade: 1/2 tsp white pepper
• Frog marinade: 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Frog marinade: 1 tbsp minced garlic
• Frog marinade: 1 tsp minced ginger
• Sauce: 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• Sauce: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• Sauce: 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• Sauce: 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Sauce: 120 ml water
• Sauce: 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Sauce: dried chili or fresh chili, to taste
• Sauce: spring onions, cut into sections
• Sauce: julienned ginger
• Optional finish: few drops sesame oil
• Optional thickener: 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water

Method

1. Marinate the frog: Combine frog meat with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Cook the porridge: Wash the jasmine rice. Optionally soak it for 20 minutes for a smoother texture.
3. Add rice, water or light chicken stock, ginger slices, and salt to a pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes.
4. Stir occasionally as the porridge cooks so the rice breaks down. Near the end, whisk lightly for a smoother Singapore-style texture. Add a few drops of sesame oil if using.
5. Cook the frog: Heat oil in a wok or claypot. Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.
6. Add the marinated frog meat and stir-fry over high heat for about 2 minutes.
7. Add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, water, black pepper, chili, and julienned ginger. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Uncover and reduce slightly until the sauce is glossy. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer briefly.
9. Add spring onions and chili at the end. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil if desired.
10. Serve the plain silky porridge in separate bowls and the frog stew in a claypot or deep plate. Spoon some of the salty, spicy sauce over the porridge as you eat.
11. Pro tip: Use white pepper generously, finish with sesame oil, and add Thai basil if you want a more modern hawker-style version.