Congee is a comforting, rice based porridge or gruel that is quite popular across many Asian cultures. It is a nourshing comfort food that is made by simmering short grain rice with water. In India we usually make it by overcooking rice in it’s water till mushy, however, across South East Asia it is made with water or broth and each region adds it’s own twist to the dish elevating it with aromatics or flavours. The most popular way to make it is to cook it down to a mush with fresh ginger, chicken and aromatics such as star anise. This yields a soft and creamy textured porridge that is often eaten for breakfast or as a meal when feeling unwell. I learnt to make this from my son who is so fond of congee that he reaches out to it each time he’s had an exhausting day and wants something comforting.
Type of Grain Used to Make Congee
The Asian style congee is usually made with the short grain rice, owing to the higher starch content that helps create a creamy texture. While the Japanese use the Koshihikari rice, in China congee is made with sticky rice or medium grain rice such as Japonica. Infact, the Northern parts of China even use sorghum to make congee instead of rice – so it largely depends on the availability of the grain. In other parts of South East Asia long grain rice such as the Jasmine rice is used – so it really boils down to the fact that people have adapted to making the congee with whatever is easily & locally available and at a low cost as this dish is a very humble one. So if you are in India and have access to short or medium grain rice you may use it. Basically any variety of rice that yields a thick, silky smooth & creamy texture is fine.
How to Make it
Traditionally a clay pot is used to slow cook the congee until the rice grains break down to a creamy texture. Earthenware helps distribute the heat evenly and retain moisture and also lends an earthy aroma and flavour to the dish making it a delightful, rustic meal. If you don’t have earthenware, a Dutch oven or a heavy based pot will do to prevent scorching. The cooking time will vary – anything between 1 hour to 1.5 hours maybe required to achieve the thick, porridge like consistency. However, since time is of the essence, you can make this in a jiffy in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker like I did. Just follow the recipe and once the pressure cooker has cooled down sufficiently you can give the congee a good mash and proceed to add your toppings and enjoy a bowlful.
Vegetarian Version
Can you make this dish vegetarian or vegan? Ofcourse! A congee is meant to be comfort food and is very forgiving when it comes to the ingredients that go into making it. While we like to make it with chicken, you can completely leave it out and cook the rice with water or vegetable stock. However, since you will be eliminating the chicken, the net yield won’t be as much so you may need to scale up the recipe a bit if you plan to serve the same number of people. Also, it is recommended to add mushrooms to the vegetarian version just to give you that umami flavour.
Serving Suggestions
While the congee tastes wonderful on it’s own, you can take the dish a notch higher by garnish it with several toppings. Protein based toppings such as shredded chicken (if not cooking the rice with it already), shredded pork, soft boiled eggs, century eggs, seafood such as fresh or dried shrimp, Chinese sausage or other preserved meats. Vegetables such as picked vegetables, pickled ginger, kimchi, spinach or other leafy greens, mushrooms, spring onions, fried garlic, fresh herbs and flavourings such as soy sauce, sesame oil or chilli oil. Whatever topping you add, it is sure to taste wonderful – truly a simple one pot meal that can be made in a pressure cooker to save time!
Ingredients
For the Congee
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 small carrot chopped
- 4-5 large button mushrooms chopped
- 450 grams approx 2 chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 star anise
- 1 inch ginger sliced
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 2-3 tablespoons Spring onion greens
- 4 Soft boiled eggs
- 1-2 teaspoons Chilli oil
For the Soft Boiled Eggs
- 4 eggs
- water to boil
For the Chilli Oil
- 1/4 cup Vegetable oil
- 3 fat cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes
Instructions
To make the chilli oil
- Heat the oil. Fry the garlic and shallot on very low heat till slightly golden. Then add the sesame seeds and fry them for a few seconds. Next, add the chilli flakes and let the simmer till the oil changes to reddish colour and till the garlic & shallot are golden. Remove into a heat resistant bowl. Once cooled you can transfer to a glass jar
To make the soft boiled eggs
- Heat sufficient water in a pan and when it comes to a boil gently slide in the eggs using a spoon or ladle – they should not crack
- Let the eggs boil for 5-6 minutes. Then remove them and place them in a bowl of cold water and remove then shell when they are cool enough to handle. Cut the eggs into halves when you are ready to serve
To make the congee
- Wash the jasmine rice in 2 changes of water, drain and transfer to a pressure cooker
- Add the chopped ginger, carrots, mushrooms, peppercorns, star anise & salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon) and the water and mix everything well
- Put the lid and weight (whistle) on and pressure cook on full heat for 4-5 whistles. Turn off the heat
- Once the pressure cooker cools down a bit and the weight comes off easily, open the cooker and stir the contents. You can remove the peppercorns blending if you prefer.
- Using a stick blender, blend the congee till mushy – you can leave it slightly chunky if you prefer but not too much.
- Adjust the consistency of the congee by adding water in 1/2 cup increments as we want it a bit gloopy and soupy and not too thick.
- Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and adjust the salt after that as the soy sauce has salt in it.
- Simmer gently for a minute then turn off
- Ladle the congee into a serving bowl, garnish with the chopped spring onions, chilli oil and soft boiled egg halves and enjoy
Disclaimer
The nutritional values are only indicative.
So so so glad to see all the recent posts, Shireen!!
Thank you so much Melissa! It is readers like you that make everything worth it! I’m glad to be back!