Known by different names across China, congee generally is understood to be a rice porridge that can be served at almost any meal.Want a delicious new way to eat rice? As in: A way that doesn’t involve eating it from a little white takeout box?
Let’s talk congee. Though known by different names across China, congee generally is understood to be a rice porridge that can be served at almost any meal. The base is a soupy rice, but that’s hardly all there is to it. Often, chicken pieces or even a whole chicken are braised in the liquid along with the rice. The meat then is shredded and returned to the pot, which is delicious.
Some member of the onion family usually is involved, too. In this recipe, we went with garlic and scallions, which provide nice color as well as flavor. To head in a vegetarian direction with this recipe, it features chewy and meaty shiitake mushrooms, with the classic Chinese seasonings of fresh ginger and a bit of soy sauce.
The porridge itself is mild, with the toppings providing the flavor. Sometimes, congee is topped with the additional ingredients; sometimes they are stirred right in. Either way works beautifully.
You can pass extra soy sauce at the table, but the real pleasure of this porridge is that it is a gentle comfort food, so enjoy the simplicity of the slowly cooked rice. Having said that, a drizzle of sesame oil at the end is lovely.