Last Updated on October 9, 2020 by Simon Fan
Chinese congees, or rice porridges, vary considerably by region. The seemingly simple combination of rice and water can create endless variations, depending on the type of rice, amount of water, length of cooking time, or the assortment of garnishes you use.
As a sequel to my post on Cantonese-style congee, the very smooth and creamy version you typically find at dim sum houses, I’m introducing a different type of congee. Here, the rice grains are not cooked until completed broken down as in the Cantonese version. Instead, they’re simmered just long enough, about ten minutes, to turn soft but not disintegrated. For that reason, the finished dish looks more like a rice soup than a porridge.
I like to make this congee whenever I want a quick, balanced meal because it’s a perect base for me to add fresh vegetables, sliced meat or seafood, or whatever leftover I have in the fridge.
Use the recipe below as a general guide and create your own versions. For example, you can replace fish and shrimp with any type of protein you like, or use mushrooms and tofu as vegetarian options. You can also use cooked day-old rice, which can be heated through quickly in the stock.
Whatever you do, try to incorporate seasonal vegetables into your congee, as they not only give the dish a sense of seasonality but also make it taste better. For me, freshly shelled peas are the obvious choice during this time of the year. Wonderfully tender and sweet, they bring a burst of fresh spring flavors to each bite.
Congee with seafood and peas
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 oz (170 g) mix of shelled, deveined shrimp and white fish fillet
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
½ teaspoon juice from grated ginger
3 cups (720 ml) fish stock, chicken stock, or water
1 cup (185 g) long-grain rice, rinsed
5 oz (140 g) shelled peas
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Directions
- Cut the shrimp and fish fillet into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, mix them with the salt, wine, and ginger juice, and let marinate for 10 minutes.
- In a pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the rice and season lightly with salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until the rice grains have turned soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the seafood and peas, and simmer until they’re just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the sesame oil and serve.
