Congee

The oldest comfort food on earth: rice dissolved into a silken, ivory porridge with ginger, sesame and spring onion, the breakfast of Guangdong and the medicine of Chinese grandmothers everywhere

Origin: Yangtze River Valley, China

From the journey of Rice.

Congee, known in Cantonese as jook (粥) and in Mandarin as zhōu, is one of the oldest continuously prepared foods on earth, with evidence of rice porridge from Yangshao culture sites dated to over 5,000 years ago. It is the dish that defines Chinese domestic care: when a family member is sick, elderly, or newborn, congee appears. The genius of congee lies in its economy: a small amount of rice, cooked long in abundant water, transforms into enough food for a family. Cantonese congee is the finest expression of the form; cooked until individual grains are entirely indistinguishable, producing a porridge of extraordinary silkiness. Toppings are limitless: century egg and pork, fish, chicken, dried scallop, youtiao (fried dough sticks). The plain version presented here; dressed with ginger, sesame oil and spring onion; is the foundation.

Ingredients

Base

200 g jasmine rice or short-grain white rice
1.8 litres good chicken stock (or water for vegetarian)
1 tsp salt

Aromatics

5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
3 stalks spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

Dressing

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce (light), to serve
1 tbsp white pepper, freshly ground

Optional

Optional toppings: century egg, poached chicken, crispy shallots, youtiao (fried dough sticks)

Method

Wash the rice in cold water 2–3 times until the water runs relatively clear. Drain thoroughly.
Place the washed rice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the stock (or water) and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring once.
Once boiling, reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Half-cover the pot (leave a gap for steam to escape) and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 15–20 minutes to prevent sticking at the base.
While the congee cooks, prepare your garnishes: julienne the ginger very finely, slice the spring onions, and set out the sesame oil and soy sauce.
Season the congee with salt. Taste and adjust; congee should be well-seasoned since it will be topped with milder garnishes.
Ladle into deep bowls. Top with a generous pinch of ginger julienne, spring onions, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a splash of soy sauce. Add white pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

The ratio of rice to liquid is the key variable in congee; more liquid and longer cooking produces a thinner, silkier result (Cantonese style); less liquid and shorter cooking gives a thicker, more textured result (Chiu Chow or Fujian style). For the definitive Cantonese jook, aim for a 1:9 ratio of rice to liquid. The secret of good congee is patience: it cannot be rushed. A pressure cooker can cut the time to 25 minutes but the result, while perfectly edible, lacks the layered depth of slow-cooked jook.

The Gastrographer

Name: Congee
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 200 g jasmine rice or short-grain white rice; 1.8 litres good chicken stock (or water for vegetarian); 1 tsp salt; 5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned; 3 stalks spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced; 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 2 tbsp soy sauce (light), to serve; 1 tbsp white pepper, freshly ground; Optional toppings: century egg, poached chicken, crispy shallots, youtiao (fried dough sticks)

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control