Strips of crisp belly bacon and eggs, done in a whichever way the customer likes them, are popular items in hotel buffet breakfast menus all over the Philippines. While most Westerners like to pair their bacon with bread, pancakes or waffles, it is not unusual for Filipinos to enjoy their bacon and eggs with garlic fried rice.
I thought I’d play around with this rice-bacon-egg combination for breakfast today. Instead of garlic fried rice, I ladled thick turmeric-flavored congee into bowls and topped the rice with strips of fried bacon and poached eggs. Pretty darn good breakfast, if you ask me.
You can use any kind of broth for cooking the congee. Chicken broth is good, so are pork and beef broth (see tips for making homemade broth). For a vegan congee, use vegetable broth.
There are many ways to cook congee depending on whether you want the rice grains to retain their shape or whether you prefer a homogenous thick and starchy porridge. I prefer the rice grains to be cooked to the point where they are puffed and split but each grain still a distinct individual morsel. I wrote a pretty detailed procedure for easy reference. Just add turmeric, fresh or powdered, and skip the ginger.
The bacon can be pan fried (no need to add oil as the bacon will render its own fat). The bacon strips can also be spread side by ride on a rack set over a pan (to catch drippings ) and roasted in a preheated 400F oven.
For instructions on how to poach eggs, click here.
When the congee, bacon and poached eggs are ready, it’s just a matter of assembly. Half fill the bowls with congee. Slide a poached egg into each bowl. Top with bacon strips. Optionally, you can garnish the congee with greens (scallions or cilantro, or both, are particularly good) and toasted garlic bits.
Nomama, I’ll miss you