Congee

Name: Congee (Rice Porridge)
Cook time: PT0D0H20M
Total time: PT0D0H20M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: ½ cups long-grain white rice; 1 tsp. kosher salt; Chinese chile oil, crispy shallots (store-bought or homemade), red bird’s eye chiles, and thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Finish this comforting breakfast porridge with a medley of crispy, fresh, and spicy toppings.

Serves
serves 4
Time
20 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLA + MURRAY; FOOD STYLING BY REBECCA JURKEVICH; PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated on May 10, 2022

In her book, Essentials of Asian Cuisine: Fundamentals and Favorite Recipes, cookbook author Corinne Trang describes congee as a "way to stretch a meal in times of need." Typically eaten for breakfast in China and other parts of Asia, this comforting recipe, which first appeared alongside Sushma Subramanian’s 2012 story “Feed a Fever,” is often mixed with meat, poultry, or seafood and gets a jolt of flavor from its garnish of scallions, chiles, and shallots.

The ease and affordability of this dish makes it a comforting sick-day staple.

Ingredients

½ cups long-grain white rice
1 tsp. kosher salt
Chinese chile oil, crispy shallots (store-bought or homemade), red bird’s eye chiles, and thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

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Instructions

Step 1

In a sieve, rinse the rice under cold running water. Drain thoroughly, then transfer to a medium Dutch oven. Cover with 8 cups of cool water, sprinkle in the salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the rice takes on the consistency of porridge, about 1½ hours.

Step 2

When ready to serve, divide the congee between 4 bowls and top each with the chile oil, crispy shallots, chiles, and scallions.

In a sieve, rinse the rice under cold running water. Drain thoroughly, then transfer to a medium Dutch oven. Cover with 8 cups of cool water, sprinkle in the salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the rice takes on the consistency of porridge, about 1½ hours.
When ready to serve, divide the congee between 4 bowls and top each with the chile oil, crispy shallots, chiles, and scallions.