Homemade Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)

Name: Congee
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: Soft-boiled egg (optional); Shredded chicken/ pork (optional); 1 cup of long grain rice; 9 cups of water; 1 pinch of salt; 1 chopped scallion; 1 piece of sliced fresh root ginger

How about trying the Chinese Congee recipe at home? Start your day with a hearty breakfast with this recipe.

Chinese Cuisine

January 24, 2022

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4 people

Preparation 10 mins

Cooking 25 mins

Total 35 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

1 cup of long grain rice
9 cups of water
1 pinch of salt
1 chopped scallion
1 piece of sliced fresh root ginger
Soft-boiled egg (optional)
Shredded chicken/ pork (optional)

Directions

Wash and rinse the rice several times.
Pour water or chicken/vegetable stock on top in a large pot.
Place the pot on medium heat and bring the water to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the rice.
When the water starts to boil again, reduce the heat and cook for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once you get a medium-thick consistency, it means the congee is ready. You can add more liquid to get the consistency you desire. Then season the rice porridge with salt.
Pour the congee into a bowl and garnish it with freshly chopped spring onions, chili oil, and ginger. Serve it hot.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Congee

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories176

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0.3 g0.4%

Protein 3.5 g7%

Sodium 59 mg2.6%

Potassium 98 mg2.1%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

You can also use short grain or sushi rice instead of long grain white rice.
Traditional Chinese congee is made with white rice, but you can make it using any other grain as well.
Add vegetables like carrots, peas, and celery to your congee to make it more tasteful.
If you are using store-bought broth, make sure it is low in sodium. Furthermore, you can also add bouillon to the congee to add flavors.
You can also add soy sauce, tamari, or chili paste to your congee as garnish.
The amount of liquid you add to cook the congee is very important. It will determine the consistency of the congee. If you want the congee to be runny, keep the rice to water ratio 1:10. For a thicker congee, the ratio will be 1:7.
You can speed up the cooking process by cooking the congee in an instant pot. For that, cook at high pressure for 15 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally.
Serve with freshly chopped green onions, chili oil and ginger. You can also complement it with cooked chicken, pork, shrimp, mushrooms or tofu.
Serve the congee immediately. This is because the longer you let it sit, the thicker its consistency will be. So, if you like a thicker congee or have some time to serve, you can leave the consistency to medium thin and let it thicken.
You can set the base of the congee by cooking protein or vegetables and then adding rice and broth.

Rate This Recipe

Congee, or Chinese Style Rice Porridge, is a classic Chinese breakfast. It is consumed as a staple food in Japan and some European countries, and has a consistency similar to pudding. This easy-to-make recipe is also perfect for lunch or dinner. Different combinations can be made with chicken, beef or vegetables. You can also use tofu for vegan congee.

You can easily prepare this Congee recipe with the ingredients in your kitchen. Combine this dish with umami-flavor foods like shrimp, scallops or mushrooms. Experience this flavor with all family members. Enjoy your meal.

Equipment for this recipe

Mixing Bowls

Cutting Board

Saucepan

Large Strainer

What Is Congee?

Congee, also known as Chinese Rice Porridge, is a staple in China. It is often substituted with steamed rice and is widely used in breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a porridge made from white rice. The rice is cooked in water or broth. As a result, the starch is released slowly, giving it a thick consistency. Chinese congee is very simple and easy to make. This humble dish can be customized according to your liking. You can enjoy it with a runny egg for breakfast or with cooked chicken, pork or beef for lunch or dinner. Furthermore, you can also serve a congee with pickled vegetables.

Congee is also served as a side dish. You can make the congee tastier by adding protein during the cooking process. You can use chicken, shrimp, or tofu if you're looking for a vegan option.

What to Serve with Congee?

The best thing about this humble dish is that it is very versatile. It means you can serve it with several different sides. The list is very long, but we have tried to concise it for you. Here are a few side dishes you can serve with congee and turn it into a very wholesome meal:

Pickles: From pickled radishes to ginger, you have so many choices when it comes to pickles. Each one is a healthy alternative to serve with congee.

Salads: You can try congee with any salad you want. Everything goes well with congee, whether it is arugula salad, sesame seaweed salad, fresh garden salad, or a zucchini salad.

Vegetables: Vegetables are tasteful and super healthy. So, you can pair them with congee and enjoy the flavors. You can serve the vegetables by frying, roasting or boiling them.

Stir Fry: Stir fry is very satisfying. Above all, it is versatile as well. You can make a vegetable stir fry or fulfill your need for meat by making chicken or beef stir fry. And if you are a vegan, you can enjoy tofu stir fry with congee.

Tempura: Tempura is crispy and crunchy. You can top your congee with tempura and enjoy the humble congee with crispy and irresistible tempura.

Cured Meat: Cured meat and congee is a perfect combination. They are such complementary foods.

Here are our some delicious recipes that you can serve with Congee:

How to Store Congee?

You can make congee in a large batch and store it in an airtight container. This way it will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Because of the starch, the congee will continue to thicken. Therefore, when you reheat it, you will need to add some water or broth to achieve the consistency you desire.

It is not recommended to freeze the sauce as it is very easy to make. However, you can also put it in the freezer if you want. You can store it in a container suitable for the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze congee with or without meat but don't freeze it with vegetables. Freezing will spoil the freshness of the vegetables.

Recipe byPetite Gourmets