Pigeon porridge hot pot

Ingredients

• 3pigeons
• 4quails
• 210 gbroken white rice
• 70 gglutinous rice
• 50 g eachmung beans and lotus seeds
• 70 gred dates
• 12 ggoji berries
• As neededbone and vegetable stock (for example, with carrot, sweetcorn, onion and daikon)
• 3shallots
• 1 smallpiece of ginger
• To tastefish sauce, seasoning powder, MSG and ground black pepper
• About 1 kgmixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, enoki, straw, seafood, oyster and king oyster mushrooms
• As neededcrown daisy or other leafy greens, such as mustard greens
• To tastespring onions, perilla, Vietnamese coriander and coriander
• 1–2chillies, if you like
• To tastefried shallots and Vietnamese fried breadsticks
• To tasteseasoned salt, ground black pepper, lime or lemon, and chilli
• To tasteor soy sauce, garlic, chilli and lime or lemon

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the birds

   Remove the feathers and clean the cavities of the pigeons and quails. Trim off the heads and feet, then rub the birds with coarse salt and ginger-infused rice wine, or use clean wood ash or leaves to help remove odours. Rinse thoroughly and drain.

2. 2

   Cut and season

   Cut the pigeons and quails into 4 portions each for dipping, keeping the necks and small wings aside. Lightly season the pieces with seasoning powder, ground pepper and a little minced ginger.

3. 3

   Prepare minced bird

   Finely mince the reserved necks and small wings with 2 quails, including their bones. Season with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and a little ground pepper; this mixture will be stir-fried to serve with rice crackers.

4. 4

   Clean the offal

   Rub the bird offal and immature eggs with coarse salt and rinse gently, taking care not to break the eggs. Drain and season with minced ginger, or briefly blanch in boiling water with ginger.

5. 5

   Prepare the toppings

   Wash the mushrooms and greens, trimming away the tough ends. Slice the mushrooms; keep the shiitake stems to simmer in the porridge, and leave the crown daisy whole or cut it in half. Chop the herbs and slice some chilli if using.

6. 6

   Mix the dip

   For a simple dip, combine seasoned salt with lime or lemon juice, ground pepper and sliced chilli. Alternatively, mix soy sauce with garlic, chilli and lime or lemon.

7. 7

   Simmer the stock

   Use stock made by simmering a pigeon or bones, or prepare concentrated chicken stock according to its instructions. For the method given, simmer 2 tablespoons of concentrated stock with vegetables such as daikon, onion, carrot and sweetcorn in 4 litres of water. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, then remove the vegetables.

8. 8

   Toast the rice

   Rinse the broken rice and glutinous rice, then toast them briefly until fragrant. For a quicker-cooking porridge, use rice flour or grind the grains into smaller pieces.

9. 9

   Cook the porridge

   Add the toasted rice to the vegetable stock and stir. Once it boils, reduce the heat so it bubbles gently, with the grains moving in the liquid; simmer for about 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. 10

    Add beans and seeds

    Soak the mung beans and lotus seeds for 30 minutes, unless using fresh lotus seeds. Rinse and blanch them for about 1 minute, then add them to the porridge 10–12 minutes after adding the rice.

11. 11

    Finish the porridge

    After the mung beans and lotus seeds have cooked for 15 minutes, add the rinsed red dates, goji berries and shiitake stems. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

12. 12

    Fry the minced bird

    Fry finely chopped shallots and ginger in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until fragrant. Add a little turmeric, then a splash of fish sauce. Add the minced bird mixture and cook over low heat until done; season to taste, add a little rice wine and fry for 1 more minute.

13. 13

    Keep it moist

    Cover the pan to stop the minced bird drying out. Reheat it shortly before serving, then add spring onion, Vietnamese coriander, sliced chilli, ground pepper and fried shallots as desired.

14. 14

    Sear the pieces

    To make the skin fragrant, briefly sear the seasoned bird pieces in a pan, over a flame or on a grill. Alternatively, arrange them in an air fryer and cook at 190°C for 6 minutes.

15. 15

    Set out the hot pot

    Arrange the cooked bird pieces, offal, eggs, mushrooms and greens on serving plates. When the porridge is tender, adjust its thickness to your liking; keep it fairly loose for hot-pot dipping. Taste and season lightly, transfer to a hot-pot cooker, and serve with the prepared toppings and dips.

What is pigeon porridge hot pot?

Pigeon porridge hot pot is a Vietnamese shared meal: rice is simmered in a savoury broth, then served at the table with bird meat, mushrooms and greens to dip or cook in the pot. Porridge hot pots are a home-style way to bring broth, rice and fresh toppings together in one meal.

This version builds body with both broken white rice and glutinous rice, while mung beans, lotus seeds, red dates and goji berries add further texture and flavour. A separate pan of minced bird gives diners another topping to eat with fried breadsticks or rice crackers.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 650 calories, 48g protein, 75g carbs, 17g fat.

Rice, mung beans, lotus seeds and dates provide much of the carbohydrates, while the pigeon and quail contribute protein and fat. The total will vary with the amount of meat and toppings each person takes; balance the bowl with plenty of mushrooms and greens and serve the fried breadsticks on the side.

Build a fragrant broth

Vegetable stock: simmer the concentrated stock with vegetables for 30 minutes, then remove the vegetables before adding the rice. This gives the porridge a gentle savoury base without leaving large pieces in the pot.

Rice: rinsing and briefly toasting the two kinds of rice helps bring out their aroma. Keep the pot at a gentle bubble once the grains go in, rather than boiling it hard.

Prepare the bird carefully

Cleaning: rub the birds with salt and ginger-infused rice wine, rinse them well and drain. Cut the main pieces for dipping, and keep the necks and small wings separate for the minced mixture.

Offal and eggs: handle the immature eggs gently so they do not break. Ginger helps season these parts; a brief blanch is an alternative mentioned in the method.

Get the porridge texture right

Gentle simmering: cook the rice for about 50–60 minutes, stirring now and then to stop it sticking. The grains should move in the bubbling liquid without needing constant stirring.

Add-ins: mung beans and lotus seeds need a head start, while the dates, goji berries and shiitake stems go in later. By the end, the seeds should be soft but still hold their shape, and the porridge should be loose enough for hot-pot cooking.

Sear and stir-fry for extra flavour

Bird pieces: a quick sear or a 6-minute cook at 190°C in an air fryer dries and colours the skin slightly before the pieces go to the table. This is an optional preparation step in the recipe.

Minced bird: cook it over low heat to help it stay moist, and cover it while waiting to serve. Reheat it and add the herbs and fried shallots shortly before eating.

Serve it at the table

Arrange the bird pieces, offal, eggs, mushrooms and greens around the hot pot so everyone can add what they like. Serve the minced bird separately with fried breadsticks or rice crackers.

Set out either the citrus, pepper and chilli salt dip or the soy, garlic and chilli dip. Add the greens and mushrooms in batches so they can be eaten as soon as they are cooked.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the cleaned bird pieces well before seasoning so their surface is not watery.
• Keep the rice at a steady, gentle simmer and stir occasionally to prevent it sticking.
• Soak dried lotus seeds and mung beans for 30 minutes before blanching them.
• Keep the minced bird covered after frying to help it stay moist.
• Season the porridge lightly at first, then let diners adjust their own dipping sauce.
• Keep the mushrooms and greens ready on platters so they can be added to the hot pot in batches.

Variations

• Change the greens: use crown daisy, mustard greens or another suitable leafy green.
• Use fresh lotus seeds: skip the 30-minute soak and rinse them before adding.
• Choose a different broth: simmer a pigeon or bones instead of using concentrated chicken stock.
• Make it spicier: add sliced chilli to the dipping sauce and hot pot.
• Add extra mushrooms: choose from shiitake, enoki, straw, seafood, oyster or king oyster mushrooms.
• Serve with rice crackers: offer them alongside the minced bird for a crisp accompaniment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the porridge hard: it can stick more readily, so lower the heat until it bubbles gently.
• Skipping the rice rinse: rinse both kinds of rice before toasting to clear away loose starch and dust.
• Overcooking the lotus seeds: add them with the mung beans and check that they are soft but still intact.
• Breaking the immature eggs: rinse them gently and handle them with care.
• Drying out the minced bird: cook it over low heat and keep the pan covered while it waits.
• Making the porridge too thick: loosen it before serving so it works as a hot-pot broth.

How to store

Cool leftover porridge and cooked toppings promptly, then store them separately in covered containers in the fridge and use within 2 days. Reheat the porridge gently on the hob, adding a little water if it has thickened; reheat the bird and toppings until steaming hot.

Frequently asked questions