Congee
A satisfying Chinese breakfast built around jasmine rice, chicken broth and fried shallots — roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
How to make it
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then combine it with the water, broth, sliced ginger and salt in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to stop sticking, for 50 to 60 minutes until the grains break down into a thick, silky porridge.
- If the congee gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot water until it reaches a loose, pourable consistency.
- Meanwhile soft-boil the eggs for 7 minutes in simmering water, then cool under cold water, peel and halve so the yolks stay just set.
- Taste the congee and adjust with salt and white pepper, then ladle into bowls.
- Top each bowl with halved egg, sliced spring onions, fried shallots and a drizzle of sesame oil, and serve piping hot.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Shallots
- ½ small onion + a little garlic
What to serve with Congee
- Kung Pao Chicken Chicken
- Kung Po Prawns Seafood
- Ma Po Tofu Beef
- Wontons Pork
Tips & common questions
How long does Congee take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Congee is an original Chinese recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: HK SKD TKO 將軍澳 Tseung Kwan O PopCorn mall Pop Deli shop 稻香超級漁港 Tao Heung Chinese Restaurant food 雞粥 Chicken congee July 2024 R12S 02.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.