• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

China Sichuan Food

Chinese Recipes and Eating Culture

  • Recipes
    • All Time Popular
    • Sichuan Food
    • Staple| Rice|Noodles
    • Pork
    • Beef & Lamb
    • Chicken & Poultry
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Egg & Dairy
    • Salad & Cold dishes
    • Beverages & Tea
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Pantry
  • Blog
  • About
    • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Video
  • How to
  • Hot Pot
    • Chinese Hot Pot e-Cookbook

How to Make Congee (Rice Porridge)

May 24, 2018 17 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Congee, one type of rice porridge is one of the most popular staple food in lots of Asian countries, sometimes also served as breakfast.

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

Congee can directly be served as a meal with other stir-fry dishes in summer days. We usually eat congee across the summer. But sometimes we add other grains and beans, like millet, mung beans and red beans.

As a national dish, congee can be quite different in different regions of China. For example, in western parts, the most popular the rice grain usually still have some hardness and separated from the thin gruel. We usually cook a large pot and serve the whole family with other cold dishes or stir fries. However, congee in Cantonese cuisine has a different definition. Cantonese congee is boiled with a relatively larger amount of water for a longer time until the rice grain and the water is well combined. Not pure water is adopted, people also use stock to cook congee. Sometimes, meat, seafood and vegetables are added and the congee can be served individually.

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

Congee can be cooked in a large soup pot or, for an easier way, in a rice cooker or instant pot. Most of the instant pot and rice cooker has a congee mode. Clay pot is often used to make Cantonese rice porridge.Congee can be also made with leftover rice, which can greatly shorten the time.

Cook’s Note

  1. Freezing the rice grain before cooking can fasten the cooking process and make the congee much softer with broken grains. Another helpful tip is to soak the grains before cooking, also can speed up the process. The two methods work fine independently. Or you can freeze the rice after soaking in the previous and make the process even quicker.
  2. Mixing some oil can help to separate the grains and prevent them from sticky to the bottom.
  3. The rice can be added in the pot with cold water or boiling water.
  4. In addition to plain and match well with almost everything white congee, we can add green vegetables, seafood, chicken or mushrooms to bring the congee colorful and savory.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice
  • 10-12 cups water or stock

Steps

Wash the rice in advance and then soak with clean water for 30 minutes. Mix with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil or sesame oil. Set aside for 15 minutes.  You can freeze the rice in the previous day after soaking.

Bring the water to a boiling in a pot and then add the soaked rice. Heat until boiling again and slow down the fire and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

If you want the rice to be well broken, stir the porridge during cooking in one direction in the last 5 minutes.

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

The congee can be served directly as plain white congee.

Optional for savory congee

  1. Sprinkle salt, white pepper  and shredded ginger shreds.
  2. Add century eggs and continue cooking for 5 minutes over slow fire.
  3. Turn up the fire and make the congee strongly boiling and then place the marinated pork slices. Turn off fire and stir the congee slightly. Let the pork to be cooked with the remaining heat of the congee. Then we get the tenderest meat.
  4. Serve with chopped Zha-cai and chopped scallions. You can also use fried shallot, toasted peanuts and kimchi as toppings.

Other suggestions for savory congee

  1. Minced beef + chopped celery
  2. Chicken breast + shiitake mushroom

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

5 from 3 votes
how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com
Print
How to Make Congee (Rice Porridge)
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
Popular Chinese dim sum style congee
Course: staple
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Congee, Rice
Servings: 2
Calories: 509 kcal
Author: Elaine
Ingredients
  • 1 cup rice
  • 10-12 cups water ,or stock
  • chopped scallion for serving
  • chopped Zha Cai for serving
For savory congee
  • 1 century egg ,chopped
  • 1/2 cup pork slices ,marinate with a small pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp. cooking wine
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 thumb ginger ,shredded
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
Instructions
  1. Wash the rice in advance and then soak with clean water for 30 minutes. Mix with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable cooking oil or sesame oil. Set aside for 15 minutes. You can freeze the rice in the previous day.
  2. Bring the water to a boiling in a pot and then add the soaked rice. Heat until boiling again and slow down the fire and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
  3. If you want the rice to be well broken, stir the porridge during cooking in one direction in the last 5 minutes.
For savory congee
  1. Marinate pork slice with a small pinch of salt, pepper and cooking wine. Set aside.
  2. Sprinkle salt, white pepper and shredded ginger shreds.
  3. Add century eggs and continue cooking for 5 minutes over slow fire.
  4. Mix cornstarch with the pork slice. Turn up the fire and make the congee strongly boiling and then place the marinated pork slices. Turn off fire and stir the congee slightly. Let the pork to be cooked with the remaining heat of the congee. Then we get the tenderest meat.
  5. Serve with chopped Zha-cai and chopped scallions. You can also use fried shallot, toasted peanuts and kimchi as toppings.
Nutrition Facts
How to Make Congee (Rice Porridge)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 509 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 1048mg46%
Potassium 223mg6%
Carbohydrates 77g26%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 15g30%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

how to make congee|chinasichuanfood.com

Filed Under: Breakfast, Featured, How to, Pork, Recomm

« Cold Sesame Noodles
Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry »

You may also like

Yu Xiang Eggplants|chinasichuanfood.com

Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe

pan-fired tofu with chives

Pan-fried Tofu with Egg and Chive

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Andreas says

    May 25, 2018 at 5:14 am

    Hi Elaine,

    You mention freezing the rice. Is that done with the the dry rice or after soaking it?

    I’d really like to try the “savory” version, mostly because I’ve been looking for a recipe using century eggs for some time now. What cut of pork do you use for this?

    When serving the regular version in a meal together with a stir fry, do you serve a soup, too or does the congee serve as rice and soup in one dish?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      May 25, 2018 at 7:58 pm

      Andreas,
      Good point, I get myself misunderstood. You can use either soaking or freezing directly the rice after washing. The two methods work fine independently. Or you can freeze the rice after soaking in the previous and make the process even quicker.
      I use pork tenderloin in this recipe.
      It actually is served along with steamed buns, some pickles or a few cold dishes as a breakfast or served as a staple food just like steamed rice for meals.

      Reply
  2. Cal Krueger says

    June 13, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    Every time I have been served congee I thought it very bland. I do not understand it’s popularity

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      June 14, 2018 at 8:55 am

      Cal,
      Like most of the staple food in China, congee is very bland itself. But when you add savory ingredients, congee can absorb the flavors and make the savory ingredients more understanding. Chinese dishes are not served as single dish, they usually come as a group.

      Reply
      • RonE says

        May 12, 2019 at 2:30 am

        5 stars
        An easy way to flavor congee is to cook it in stock. When in a pinch Better Than Bullion is great!

        Reply
        • Elaine says

          May 12, 2019 at 7:49 pm

          Yes, Agree. We use chicken stock and pork stock too.

          Reply
  3. David says

    June 13, 2018 at 11:53 pm

    5 stars
    While working and living in Nantong for a year. I was served various congee for breakfast daily. On the table was at least one bowl of a mixed crispy oily condiment made with peanuts, garlic, chili and various roasted crispy seaweed and other vegetables. Do you know what what this congee condiment was called and have any recipes for it? I have never seen it described in any Chinese cookbook or blog and I have a couple of congee cookbooks although they are mostly Jook recipes for health and wellness.

    Other congee condiment was whole peeled raw garlic, a huge bowl was placed in center of table. Co-workers from China wood pick up a whole raw garlic and place in the mouth to be slowly eaten while slurping the congee.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      June 14, 2018 at 9:05 am

      David,
      I can image how good the congee breakfast can be. I cannot figure out the exact recipe for the condiments. We serve lots of pickles and salad with congee across the country. But you can have a look at this one.
      We do not like to eat raw garlic. Instead we prefer crunchy pickled garlic.

      Reply
      • David says

        June 15, 2018 at 6:45 am

        Thanks for the reply Elaine! I have hard time eating raw garlic for breakfast myself. In Jiangsu, the food I was served tended to be rich and oily with an emphasis on freshwater fish and other denizens of the Yangtze delta floodplain. Su cuisine tended towards fresh but doused with rice wine and rice wine vinegars. And red oil too. Not too many bloggers focused on these recipes so it is unknown to most westerners.

        Reply
  4. BETTY says

    June 14, 2018 at 12:52 am

    5 stars
    Although it’s pretty warm here in Los Angeles, I feel that I need to try this recipe this weekend. I’ve not had Congee since I was a child when my mom used to make it. Thank you for the recipe. btw: I love you site….

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      June 14, 2018 at 8:58 am

      Betty,
      I make savory congee a lot in summer. When you get the air-conditioner on, drinking congee is a very comforting experience in summer. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  5. Evana says

    March 15, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    How do we introduce the minced beef?
    And can this dish be made with Basmati rice?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      March 19, 2019 at 8:32 am

      Basmati rice works fine for sure.
      Process for minced beef is almost the same with pork or beef slices. Just stop fire when the congee re-boils.

      Reply
  6. Simone says

    July 31, 2020 at 9:00 am

    Would leftovers be able to be kept in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      August 1, 2020 at 11:06 am

      Simone,
      Yes, but remember to re-heat before next serving.

      Reply
  7. MaryANn says

    September 24, 2020 at 12:19 pm

    hello,

    You mention freezing – do you mean freezing in the freezer. That would mean the soaked rice in water would be turned to ice? or do you mean chill it in the fridge? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 30, 2020 at 8:06 am

      Mary,
      I mean placing it in freezer.

      Reply

Hi, Welcome!

Please not be limited by site name, as Elaine shares Chinese recipes beyond Sichuan dishes. Know me more from About Page

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe for Updates

Most Popular

Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup

Lanzhou beef noodle soup

Chinese Pork Bun

Chinese steamed pork bun

Cheung Fun (Steamed Rice Noodles)

Cheung fun|China Sichuan Food

Chinese Pantry

Dou-Chi--Black bean paste

DouChi | Fermented Black Beans

doubanjiang|China Sichuan Food

Doubanjiang | Broad Bean Paste(豆瓣酱)

how to season a wok|chinasichuanfood.com

Chinese Stir Frying Wok

Century eggs|chinasichuanfood.com

Century Eggs

ChinaSichuanFood.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use only images without prior permission. 图片和文字未经授权,禁止转载和使用。

Copyright © 2021 · Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in