KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 6 -- Congee. Rice soup. Porridge. Whatever you call it, it's got a bad reputation as "sick people food", which it can't shake off.

Thankfully Street Porridge, a wildly popular stall in Kepong, is spinning that underappreciated dish into an impressive powerhouse with the clever use of toppings.

Porridge in its pristine pale form gets a dramatic makeover with a golden yellow hue, as it's mashed up with its more glamorous cousin, sang har mee.

Using freshwater prawns, three in total that are split into two, revealing its rich, orange roe, it's cooked with the smooth, velvety-textured porridge over a low fire for three to four hours, using jasmine rice.

Your nose will pick up the heady crustacean aroma the moment the cl...