Not talking about Western oat porridge here. I'm introducing rice porridge, usually eaten as breakfast or lunch back home (or when someone is feeling down the weather). In London, I usually prepare congee when I have leftover rice in the fridge or when I'm craving for some hot comfort food. It's super easy, basically boil rice with lots of water until it becomes a soupy and sticky consistency.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup of rice (or leftover rice, which reduces boiling time by lots; using either will not really effect the final congee texture and consistency)
5-7 cups of water or stock (I usually use chicken powder for convenience)
A pinch of salt
Any protein (example : chicken, prawns, rehydrated dried scallops) or vegetables (example : rehydrated Chinese mushrooms, diced carrots or long beans)
Seasonings (adjust according to taste)
Light soy-sauce
Sesame Oil
Spring Onions
Fried shallots
White pepper
Optional sides : Fried anchovies (for the crunch), Braised peanuts (easily found in cans in Chinese supermarkets)
Instructions
Boil rice with water/stock under medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning at the bottom of the pot. Add protein, then vegetables (because you don't want your vegetables to be too mushy).
How long to cook? Depends. Your congee is ready when the rice does not feel hard and it had broken down into small bits (no longer a full grain). This usually takes 30-35 minutes (making congee with pre-cooked rice is faster). Some people like a thicker consistency (less water) and others prefer it to be more watery (like me!).
Here are few examples of congee I made~
(a) Congee with chopped green beans and carrots, topped with fried anchovies.
(b) Congee with prawns, rehydrated Chinese mushrooms and rehydrated scallops, topped with chopped spring onions.
(c) Congee with chopped green beans and carrots, fried anchovies and braised peanuts as sides.
Comments