Rice and Potato Soup with Chiu Chow Sauerkraut

This made a starchy lunchtime soup, with a method very much based on the lentil and potato soup I posted a few days ago. The big revelation of this was the sauerkraut mixed with Chiu Chow brand chilli oil to make an intense and delicious fermented garnish which also acted as a seasoning for the soup.

Ingredients:
a small cup of rice (in this case I used short grain rice to give it a nice starchy texture)
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 turnip, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium onion
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 heaped teaspoon of fermented soybean paste
2 tablespoons of flavourless oil
some greens (I had mustard greens, any others would do including frozen)
water or stock (chicken, or vegetable, or leftover water from cooking vegetables)

To garnish
sesame oil
2 heaped tablespoons of sauerkraut mixed with a heaped teaspoon of chiu chow chilli oil and 1/2 a grated clove of garlic

How to make:
Put the rice in a pan well covered with water or stock, around 4 inches above the level of the rice (precision not required) and turn on the heat. Add the onion, finely sliced. Simmer until rice is almost cooked. Then add in the diced potatoes and turnip.

While simmering, heat 2 tablespoons of flavourless oil in a small frying pan and add the fermented soy bean paste and fry until the oil is red. Then add it and all the oil to the soup. Grate the ginger and the garlic into the soup with a fine grater. If the soup has become too thick / not enough liquid for your taste, add a little more water or stock.  Finally, add the greens and put on a lid to help them cook until tender, 2-3 minutes. Check the potatoes are cooked and season with salt to taste.

Ladle into bowls. Dress with a scant drizzle of sesame oil and a spoonful of the spicy sauerkraut on top.