Makansutra: Comfort is a bowl of congee

There are many types of porridge, or congee - Cantonese, Hainanese, Teochew and Hokkien, to name a few.

I like all the versions - creamy like those from Guangzhou or Hong Kong, grainy like the Hainanese kind, just soft rice with fish soup in the Teochew style, the "explosive" porridge (where they top it with deep-fried rice pops), wok-fried porridge, and now what I call the supremely comforting style.

Rong Ji Chicken Rice moved to the sleepy Dunman Food Centre from the corner kopitiam at Joo Chiat Lane some months back, and its hardcore regulars followed it there.

I will be upfront. This column is not about the best porridge, but the comfort factor. I cannot put a finger on it, but I will try.

I vividly recall the times I had breakfast at Rong Ji's old stall.

You would wait at least 15 minutes, and some soya sauce and white pepper would be placed before you to indicate that "your order is noted and on the way".

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The classic chicken porridge is a tad more watery than the usual.

But this is where the food love holds you down - it is supremely smooth, light and flavourful.

The grains are cooked long hours till the soft starch blends with the stock. It does not fill you up as it comes soft, grainy and soupy.

The porridge starts from $3, and there is also a popular pork ball version.

Don't expect huge meatballs to float atop the porridge as it arrives - you have to dredge the tiny bits of fresh-pressed minced pork balls lurking inside.

There is enough cartilage and fat in each little bit of pork ball.

Crack an egg (separate order) and swirl it in the porridge.

This meal is what I mean by comforting, especially after I added some soya sauce, a couple of puffs of white pepper and you tiao.

But it is not complete without a plate of chopped poached chicken, which comes thinly sliced, soft and smooth and doused with a blend of soya sauce and oyster sauce.

It is so easy to eat.

This is one of those dishes I would want for my final meal.

Rong Ji's chicken rice is just right and with a generous amount of skinless and boneless meat. You will not find a slice of cucumber on it.

This came across almost bland, but I could not stop eating it.

But I am indifferent to Rong Ji's fish porridge - this place uses salmon and the taste is something I don't enjoy with porridge. Bring back the threadfins.

Rong Ji Chicken Rice
Stall 13, Dunman Food Centre
6am to 3pm, closed on Wednesdays
Tel: 8685-8808