Congee - rice porridge

[Dover]

This is my favorite alternative to "mom's chicken soup" for curing whatever is ailing me. It doesn't have any chicken in it, although you can certainly add it (or anything else) to the basic soup. A comfort food times a thousand. When I lived in an Asian district in a colder climate I bought it several times a week. When I moved South I could no longer find it at restaurants so began to make my own. Haven't yet tried it with brown rice but may do that this Fall.
I add more water/broth up front than this recipe calls for, but it can also be added as needed.

I usually don't cook more than we can eat in one sitting because it's not nearly as good the next day imo, after a night in the frig. It gets pasty and lumpy.

Wikipedia had some interesting info about this dish:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee

Anybody else have a different recipe or cooking technique for this soup?


Rice Congee

This is an excellent soup when you are feeling cold, weak and
generally unwell. A crockpot or rice cooker works very well for this and you can cook it all day or night if you choose. Add more water rather than less. Or you can use a regular cooking pot so long as you keep an eye on it so the water doesn't evaporate.
You can add other ingredients as you wish. Chicken stock added with
the water makes good congee too.


2 handfuls short-grain brown or white rice
4 cups (1L) water or stock
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil per serving
2 tablespoons finely sliced ginger


Combine the rice, water or stock, and sea salt in a large pan.
Bring to a simmer.
Turn the flame as low as possible and place the pan on a diffuser.
Cook for 4 hours.
Serve in deep bowls topped with some green onions, sesame oil and
slices of ginger.

[hippywife]

1. That picture makes it look

like the the rice completely deconstructs (I think that's the word I want.) and becomes a smooth consistency. Is that right?

That would be something I would probably eat as a breakfast food, I think, slightly sweetened.

:hi:

[Dover]

2. Yes, it gets very smooth and creamy similar to a puree

But I think there are a lot of variations in consistency depending on the culture as well as personal tastes. Many people in the Asian cultures eat it as a breakfast food though I don't think many sweeten it. For being so simple, I'm always surprised at just how tasty and satisfying it is.