Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge) with Stir-Fried Ground Pork
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on January 6, 2020
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Congee
¾ cup long-grain white rice 1 cup chicken broth ¾ teaspoon table saltStir-Fried Pork
8 ounces ground pork ¼ teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon baking soda 1 garlic clove, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry 1 teaspoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Fresh cilantro leaves Dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarseChili oil Soy sauce Chinese black vinegar Scallions, sliced thin on biasBefore You Begin
Jasmine rice can be substituted for conventional long-grain white rice; do not use basmati. Rinsing the rice and leaving the Dutch over lid ajar prevents the rice from boiling over. 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 provide a subtle savory background for flavorful toppings; the wider the variety of toppings, the more delicious it will be. 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.
- While rice cooks, toss pork, 1 tablespoon water, salt, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper and toss until thoroughly combined.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork mixture and cook, breaking meat into ¼-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until pork is no longer pink and just beginning to brown. Serve congee in bowls, spooning pork over congee and passing scallions, cilantro, peanuts, oil, soy sauce, and vinegar separately.
for the congee
for the stir-fried pork
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Congee
Stir-Fried Pork
Ingredients
Congee
Stir-Fried Pork
Ingredients
Congee
Stir-Fried Pork
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. We made a savory, quick-cooking stir-fried pork topping by briefly soaking the pork in a salty baking soda solution that helped it stay juicy. We seasoned the meat with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and a touch of sugar and added a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce as it cooked.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Jasmine rice can be substituted for conventional long-grain white rice; do not use basmati. Rinsing the rice and leaving the Dutch over lid ajar prevents the rice from boiling over. 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 provide a subtle savory background for flavorful toppings; the wider the variety of toppings, the more delicious it will be. 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.
- While rice cooks, toss pork, 1 tablespoon water, salt, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper and toss until thoroughly combined.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork mixture and cook, breaking meat into ¼-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until pork is no longer pink and just beginning to brown. Serve congee in bowls, spooning pork over congee and passing scallions, cilantro, peanuts, oil, soy sauce, and vinegar separately.
for the congee
for the stir-fried pork
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
0 Comments