Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on January 5, 2020
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
For vegetarian congee, substitute water for the chicken broth. Jasmine rice can be substituted for conventional long-grain white rice; do not use basmati. We prefer the distinctive flavor of Chinese black vinegar here; look for it in with other Chinese ingredients at the supermarket or at Chinese markets. Congee provides a subtle savory background for flavorful toppings. Serve with Microwave-Fried Shallots, if desired.
Instructions
- Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain well and transfer to Dutch oven. Add broth, salt, and 9 cups water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain vigorous simmer. Cover pot, tucking wooden spoon horizontally between pot and lid to hold lid ajar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened, glossy, and reduced by half, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Serve congee in bowls, passing scallions, cilantro, peanuts, oil, soy sauce, and vinegar separately.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Great congee (Chinese rice porridge) features soft, barely intact grains gently bound by their silky, viscous cooking liquid; the result should be fluid but thick and creamy enough to suspend any toppings. Our formula started with a 13:1 ratio of liquid to long-grain white rice, which produced an appropriately loose porridge (we cut the water with a little chicken broth for clean flavor with a savory backbone). Then we simmered the rice vigorously to encourage the grains to break down in about 45 minutes (instead of a more typical 90-minute gentle simmer), partially covering the pot to help the contents cook quickly while minimizing evaporation. To prevent the congee from boiling over, we rinsed excess starch from the raw rice and wedged a wooden spoon between the lid and the side of the pot, giving the water bubbles a chance to escape.
Before You Begin
For vegetarian congee, substitute water for the chicken broth. Jasmine rice can be substituted for conventional long-grain white rice; do not use basmati. We prefer the distinctive flavor of Chinese black vinegar here; look for it in with other Chinese ingredients at the supermarket or at Chinese markets. Congee provides a subtle savory background for flavorful toppings. Serve with Microwave-Fried Shallots, if desired.
Instructions
- Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain well and transfer to Dutch oven. Add broth, salt, and 9 cups water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain vigorous simmer. Cover pot, tucking wooden spoon horizontally between pot and lid to hold lid ajar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened, glossy, and reduced by half, 45 to 50 minutes.
- Serve congee in bowls, passing scallions, cilantro, peanuts, oil, soy sauce, and vinegar separately.
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