congee
Also known as congee (or "jook"), is a savory rice soup. It is a warming start of the day, and the go-to dish when you are starting to feel under the weather. In Asia, this breakfast soup is a great feel-good food when you are coming down with a cold, especially when you garnish with plenty of finely chopped slivers of fresh ginger. Here's a base recipe for you to get creative with!
ingredients
½ cup (115g) white or brown rice
5+ cups (1+ liter) water, vegetable stock, or you can add a couple rehydrated Chinese mushrooms for flavor
1 tsp salt
Garnishes: chopped scallion, slivers of fresh ginger, peanuts, shredded kale, kimchi, seaweed, etc
White pepper, to taste
method
In a large heavy-based pot rinse and drain the rice and water. Bring to a boil. For the first few minutes, skim off any froth that rises to the surface.
Leave the cover slightly open – I rest a pair of wooden chopsticks on the rim of the pot to keep the lid ajar. When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a gently-rolling simmer for an around 60 minutes, stirring occasionally to loosen any rice that might stick to the bottom of the pot.
If mixture starts too look too thick, add a bit more boiling water. It should look like, well, porridge though the consistency is up to you. Some people like a thick congee where all the grains of rice have broken down, while others prefer more of a starchy broth with softened rice. Stir in the salt. Serve piping hot with any fresh garnishes.
