Take 1 cup (200g) unrinsed rice, and put it in a big pot with 8 cups (2l) of water and 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock (or use all water, if you don’t have stock). Let it simmer for about an hour or so over low heat, until the rice is completely soft and swollen.
Meanwhile, soak 5-6 dried Chinese mushrooms in boiling water or shaoxing, and let them sit until soft. Firmly squeeze out the liquid, trim off any hard stems and thinly slice the mushrooms. Then them to the pot along with a 2-inch (5cm) piece of fresh ginger that you’ve peeled and minced.
At this point, you can add frozen or fresh peas, diced chicken or turkey breast, cooked or uncooked-cubes of lap chong (Chinese sausage), cooked or uncooked finely-diced carrots, raw peeled shrimp, and a big dash of fish sauce (see Note.)
Then I simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes to meld all the flavors. So much depends on the rice that it’s hard to note exact cooking times. But this is rustic fare, so just use your judgment and cook it until the grains of rice are very plump and tender and the ingredients look happy together. When done, the jook should be soupy and runny, not thick enough to hold a spoon. But there’s no standard for jook-consistency, so it’s right when it’s as you like it. If too thick, add a bit more liquid.
Possible garnishes are sliced scallions and/or cilantro. I am a big fan of frying cubes of bacon until crisp them and adding them to each bowl of soup. Smoked tofu, cut into cubes, would work for a vegetarian bowl. Scatter a few roasted peanuts on top, or finish with deep-fried shallots.