✤1 lemongrass stalk
✤5 cups water
✤1/2 cup (90g) jasmine rice
✤1/2 tsp white pepper, divided
✤8 oz ground pork
✤1 tsp fish sauce
✤1/2 tsp salt
✤2 cloves garlic, minced
✤1 tbsp soy sauce
✤1 tbsp (12g) sugar
✤3 oz kale, thick stem discarded, leaves chopped
✤ Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
✤ Nam Pla Prik & Prik Nam Som, for garnish
❖Using the back spine of a knife, bash the lemongrass a bit to bruise it and help release flavor.
❖In a wok or large saucepan, combine rice, water & lemongrass. Bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is completely tender and water has thickened into a velvety porridge, about 1 hour. When done, discard lemongrass, then stir in 1/4 tsp white pepper. Keep congee at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally and thinning with water if it starts to get too thick.
❖In a small bowl, combine pork, 1/4 tsp white pepper, fish sauce, salt, soy sauce, garlic & sugar. Mix with your fingers until homogenous and sticky. Wash your hands.
❖Using wet hands, pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces of the pork mix and form into tiny balls. Drop the balls directly into the simmering congee. Cover and continue to simmer until meatballs are starting to firm up, about 1 min.
❖Stir in the kale and continue cooking until greens are wilted and the meatballs are cooked through, about 3 min longer.
❖Top with garnishes as desired.
