Congee is a rice porridge that’s so prevalent in the asian subcontinant that is has many names. You might have heard of it as Jook, Kanji, Zhou, Bobar, Okayu …. I could go on. Incredibly easy to digest but still filling, in some countries it’s the perfect breakfast while also considered the perfect food for the sick. With thousands of years of history behind it, this dish is incredibly comforting and can be as plain or as interesting as you like.
We prefer it for dinner with a load of interesting toppings, the bowl full enough to bursting, that you can stir through or eat with a bit of the congee at a time. Chilli aubergines, quick pickled vegetables like cucumber and radishes, meaty shitake mushrooms, crunch from some sesame seeds, and some seasoning from your favourite soy sauce substitute. It makes for a hearty broth that will comfort you with a spicy hug after a difficult day or if you crave a savoury breakfast it’ll work equally well to set you up for a long day.
I prefer to cook mine in the instant pot as that makes it fuss free, just set it and walk away. I’ve also included instructions for cooking this on the stove. Like a lot of broths, this will need occasional attention to make sure if cooks evenly but it’s still easy to manage. Pickle your vegetables when the congee starts cooking so they’ve got plenty of time to finish marinading. In your last 10 minutes whip out your wok and stir fry your cooked toppings – easy!
- Makes: Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Congee:
- 250ml Long Grain Rice (I like jasmine or basmati)
- 1.8 Ltr Vegetable stock or water
- 3 Garlic cloves, cut into thin strips
- 10g Fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
- 15g Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
- 5 Lime Leaves
- Salt, to taste
For the Pickled Vegetables:
- 200g Cucumber, finely sliced
- 60g Radishes, cut into thin strips
- 160ml Rice Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
- 1 tsp Salt
For the Toppings:
- 1 Large Aubergine, diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 7g Fresh Ginger, diced
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang*
- 1/2 Tbsp Soy sauce Substitute (See allergy note below)
- 3 heads of Pak Choi, roughly chopped
- Oil for cooking
Suggested optional toppings:
- Sliced Spring Onions
- Sesame Seeds
- Roasted Peanuts
- Soy Sauce (or your favourite substitute)
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Chilli Oil
- Beansprouts
- Coriander Leaves
- Tempeh, stir fried with some soy sauce and sriracha
Directions
Optional: Rinsing your rice is completely up to you but will result in a less sticky congee. Wash the rice in a large bowl, swirling the grains and replacing the water until the water turns clear. Allow to drain well before cooking.
Instant Pot Method: Place all the ingredients for the congee, apart from the salt, into the instant pot and stir to ensure they’re well combined. Lock on the lid and seal the vent before setting to cook on high for 20 minutes (or use the porridge button – congee is what it’s designed for). When the timer is complete, allow for a natural release.
Stove Top Method: Put all your congee ingredients into a large, heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, cover partially with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer until the rice is meltingly soft, this should take between 45 mins to 1.5 hours depending on how soft you like your congee. Stir the congee occationally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, the more often you stir it, the more broken your rice grains and the creamer the congee. While waiting for it to cook, feel free to add another a touch more stock if you feel it’s getting too dry.
While your congee is cooking, prepare the toppings. It’s best to start with your pickled cucumber and radishes so they have time to absorb the flavours. Pour all your pickle ingredients apart from the cucumber and radishes in a large jar**, seal with a lid and shake until the mix is fully combined and the sugar is dissolved. Add the cucumber and radishes, seal and shake again to make sure they’re fully coated. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Place a wok on a medium to heat and add about a tablespoon of oil. Stir fry the aubergine until well browned and just starting to soften, remove from the pan and put to one side. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok along with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and gochujang. Simmer, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the garlic has softened. Add back the aubergine and stir fry until the aubergines are soft and the garlic has started to brown. Remove from the pan and put to one side.
Wipe your wok clean, place back onto a high heat and add a touch more oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, throw in the pak choi. Stir fry until the leaves are bright green and just starting to wilt.
When your congee is cooked, stir and taste, adding salt to taste. Don’t be too heavy handed with the salt as you need to leave room for the seasoning your toppings will bring. Remove the lime leaves and mushrooms from the pot. Throw the lime leaves away and put your mushrooms to one side so they can be used as a topping.
Serve family style, so everyone can add their toppings to match their preference. Enjoy!
Notes
* Gochujang is a fermented Korean red chilli paste. If you are avoiding soy or can’t find any then Sriracha or your favourite chilli paste will make a decent substitute.
** I often like to use two separate jars for the cucumber and radishes. This stops the pink of the radishes from colouring the cucumber but is entirely a visual decision.
Allergy Notes;Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the few brands which uses gluten. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce, it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you.
If sesame seeds are an allergen for you then skip the oil from the pickles.
This recipe is gluten free and vegan, it can be easily soy free and nut free if you follow the notes above.
