Rice Porridge with Fish-(Chao Ca)

There are roughly a hundred kinds of Chao Ca cooked with different types of fish, seasonings, and fresh herbs. It takes deft care to give each bowl of porridge a distinctive flavor. The most common chao ca uses the white fish. Ca loc is the most common in Vietnam. The ingredients and cooking methods vary from place to place, but the standard recipe is the same. If we can have our hands with fresh fish, the bones should be made into broth to enhance the flavor. Flavor the rice by rinsing dry and roasting it in a hot pan with oil, garlic and onions. The quality of fish and rice, as well the strength of seasonings and herbs, play the most important roles in the dish. The way I make fish porridge is the simplest one by using cooked rice that I, like any Asian family, always have left over in the refrigerator. Quality ready-made seafood or chicken broth will enhance the flavor of the rice soup and will also cut in half the time necessary to prepare this dish. Poaching the fish in its marinade will add the deaf flavor into each bowl of soup and avoid cloudy the soup before serving.
Ingredients:
Two 6 oz white fish fillets, Swai fish, Basa, or tilapia
3 cups seafood or chicken broth
1 cup cooked white rice
Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs fresh ginger, slivers
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped white onions
1 tbs fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs dry sherry, shaoxing wine
2 tbs lime juice
Garnishes:
2 tbs fresh ginger, slivers
2 tbs fried shallot
2 tbs chopped cilantro
2 tbs sliver green onion
A few thinly sliced white onions
Some bean sprouts
Fresh red hot chili, chopped
Fresh lime, cut into wedges

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add fish and let marinate for 1 hour.
In a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, add broth and bring to boil. Add cooked rice, bring to boil, cover, and turn the heat off.
In a shallow saucepan, add two cups of water and bring to boil. Place fish and the marinade into the saucepan and simmer for 7 minutes. Use a slot spoon to remove fish and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid and discard the solid. Add the poaching liquid into the rice-broth.
Turn on the heat and bring it back to simmer. At this point, the rice soup is ready. Season with fish sauce, and salt, if needed. Use a fork to break the poached fish into bite size pieces. Place the fish into the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle the rice soup over fish, and top with the garnishes.