Pao fan

Pao fan is a comforting and traditional Teochew soup dish that features rice submerged in a flavorful broth, often enriched with seafood, meat, or vegetables. The distinguishing feature of pao fan compared to other rice soups, like congee, is the texture of the rice. In pao fan, the rice retains its individual grain texture, as it is not cooked down to a porridge-like consistency. Instead, pre-cooked rice is added to a boiling broth, which can be made from chicken, fish, pork, or any other stock, making the dish light yet flavorful. Seafood pao fan is one of the most popular variations, including ingredients such as shrimp, fish slices, and sometimes clams or scallops, which add a fresh and oceanic flavor to the broth. It's also common to top pao fan with crispy fried ingredients like garlic, shallots, or rice puffs, adding a delightful contrast in textures between the soft rice and the crunchy toppings.