The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Porridge: One Secret Ingredient for a Creamy, Nutritious Bowl

There are numerous delicious congee recipes to choose from. For instance, there’s minced pork congee, chicken congee, plain congee, black bean congee, or mung bean congee, to name a few. Regardless of the ingredients, the key to a tasty bowl of congee is soft, well-cooked rice, neither too thick nor too watery.

Typically, people put the rice directly into the pot, add water, and start cooking. However, this method takes longer for the congee to cook, and the pot is more likely to scorch. Not to mention the time and effort required of the cook.

So, how can you make delicious congee in just about 20 minutes? A seasoned chef shares five things to keep in mind when cooking congee to ensure a tasty bowl that’s “so good, it doesn’t need any dipping sauce.”

Soak the Rice

To speed up the cooking process, start by soaking the rice. First, rinse the rice thoroughly, then place it in a bowl and soak it for about 60 minutes.

This step allows the rice to absorb water, softening the grains and reducing the cooking time. Note that over-washing the rice may wash away some of the nutrients.

The Right Rice-to-Water Ratio

The rice-to-water ratio is crucial. I usually use a ratio of 1:7, meaning one part rice to seven parts water. Adding too much water will make the congee watery and unappetizing, while too little water will result in a thick, porridge-like consistency.

Use Pork Fat

When cooking congee, add a spoonful of pork fat. Don’t worry about it being greasy; pork fat adds flavor and aroma to the congee. It also has several health benefits, such as improving heart function, benefiting muscles, and supporting respiratory health.

Cook with Hot Water

Most people add rice to cold water, but the correct way is to heat the water to about 70°C before adding the rice.

The temperature difference creates pressure that causes tiny cracks in the rice grains. This helps the rice cook faster and prevents the congee from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Using hot water also saves time and energy compared to using cold water.

Stir the Congee

Finally, when the congee boils, stir it in one direction for about 3 minutes, then cover and simmer. After about 20 minutes, uncover and stir again. Turn off the heat when the congee is soft and mushy. Stirring properly ensures a softer, tastier congee.

Check out this delicious fish congee recipe that takes only 20 minutes to prepare.

FISH CONGEE RECIPE

You’ll have a super tasty bowl of fish congee in just 20 minutes.

– Preparation time: 25 minutes

– Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

– Rice: 1 small bowl

– Fish fillet: 350g

– Salt: ¼ teaspoon

– Pepper: ¼ teaspoon

– Dark soy sauce: 2 teaspoons

– Cooking wine: 2 teaspoons

– Ginger: 1 teaspoon

– Egg white: 1

– Water or bone broth

– Purslane

– Thinly sliced ginger

– Chopped scallions and coriander

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice once or twice, then soak it for about 30 minutes. Drain the water and put the rice in a ziplock bag. Refrigerate for about 8 hours.

2. Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces and marinate with salt, pepper, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, ginger, and egg white. Mix well until the fish is coated with the marinade. Marinate for about 15 minutes.

3. Take the chilled rice out of the fridge and put it in a pot. Add water using a ratio of 1 part rice to 7 parts water. Cover and bring to a boil. Leave the lid slightly ajar to prevent the congee from boiling over. Simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remember to stir the congee when it starts to boil.

4. While the congee is cooking, wash and chop the purslane. Slice the ginger thinly.

5. Once the congee is soft, add the purslane.

Stir well, then gently add the marinated fish to avoid breaking it apart.

When the congee boils again, season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. Garnish with scallions, coriander, and ginger. The ginger adds aroma and prevents the fish from tasting fishy.

7. Serve the congee hot.