Sweet corn juk (rice soup) 玉米粥

Sweet corn is in season again. One of the simplest way I like with fresh sweet corn is to make juk for breakfast/brunch. It's so simple just two ingredients plus lots of water. This juk is similar to Cantonese sweet corn soup without the chicken bits, meat stock etc..., very simple but refreshing with a lovely sweet flavour.

Take about 3/4 cup of glutinous rice. Rinse and soak with 1 cup of water for about 1 hour or you can soak this overnight for next morning breakfast. With the water still in it. Rub with your hand to break up the rice grains as fine as you can.

Take 2 - 3 ears of decent size sweet corns. Grate with a coarse or cheese grater. You will get about 1 1/2 - 2 cups grated sweet corn. If you are like me who do not like the skins too much sieve it with an extra coarse sieve or small colander, press the grated corn through with a spoon. Squeeze out juice from remaining skins by hand. Discard skins.

Measure about 5 cups of water, add glutinous rice mixture and boil for about 15 minutes till mixture is thickened. Stir and scrape the pan bottom few times, rice may stick to the pan.

Then add grated sweet corn, boil for another 5 - 8 minutes till liquid is rapidly boiling. Check for thickness if too thick add some more water, if too thin thicken with a little slackened cornflour. Thickness of juk is to your liking. I like it not too thick.

Heat off and ready to serve. I like it plain as it is. You can add some salt if you like and little chopped spring onion or chopped coriander. If you have some goji berries sprinkle few on top this will make it looks pretty and good for you too. If you have some Chinese fried bread stick (you char kway) this goes really well with this corn juk, best use fresh bread sticks or reheated in oven to make sure they are crispy.

**If you have the time before boiling the juk, you can make a stock with the remaining corn sticks after grating. Chop them into small chunks and boil with about 6 cups of water for about 15 minutes. Then strain the liquid. This stock has lots of flavour. Use this stock to replace water to boil the juk.

** If you don't have glutinous rice you can sub jasmine rice or any plain white rice. The texture of the juk will be less sticky and less smooth.

** Can grate and sieve the corn night before and store in the fridge ready for next morning.