A Congee Recipe Packed with Umami Flavor (2024)

Having trouble grocery shopping as of late? Grabbing simple pantry staples like grains and canned goods has become a little less, well, simple. But there’s no need to fret. We have a delicious congee recipe for you to whip up with grocery items and fresh produce you may already have.Congee is a nourishing solution that turns a single cup of rice into six full servings. The best part? You can top it off with whatever you like! Just add veggies, a little fat, and some protein for total satiety.

What Is Congee?

Originally hailing from China, congee is a type of rice porridge that you can eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It requires a typical serving of rice with about 3.5 times the amount of water you’d use to make regular rice, as well as about three times more cooking time, which creates a creamy, soupy texture. It’s best prepared with savory ingredients, but the flavors are totally adaptable so it’s an easy recipe to make completely your own.

About This Congee Recipe

The only ingredients you really need to make congee are rice and water. From there, it’s just a matter of dressing it up and customizing it with whatever you have on hand.This congee recipe uses white rice. While white rice gets a bad rap, it’s actually a very cleansing food. It’s easier to digest than brown rice, and absorbs flavors well for an adaptable dish base. While long grain or basmati are suggested, work with what you have.

Customizing your congee base

First, kombu and bonito flakes have excellent shelf lives, and are mineral-rich pantry staples. Kombu is a vegan-friendly type of seaweed, while bonito are dried tuna flakes. You can incorporate either of them as flavoring into your congee by soaking them in the rice-cooking water in advance. Alternatively, you could add a tablespoon of miso paste to your water for extra flavor.To add extra bulk and beta-carotene to your rice base, you can also add sweet potatoes to your congee. Just peel and chop one into large chunks to add along with your rice. It’ll soften up as it cooks.

toppings

After you get the base down, you’re free to top with as many (or as little) fixings as you like.First, I like to add quickly pickled red cabbage. Cabbage stays fresh in the crisper drawer of your fridge for a few weeks, so you can make a head last for many meals when served as a garnish. It also adds a gorgeous pop of color on your plate. To prepare it, quickly sautee it in some sesame oil, and mix the slightly wilted cabbage with rice or umbeoshi plum vinegar.Then, mushrooms are a great option that provide powerful anti-viral properties, chewy texture, and umami flavor. I like to prep shiitake mushrooms by sautéing in sesame or peanut oil to add strong, nutty flavor. However, you can use any other vegetables you have on hand like broccoli, kale, or other greens. It’s a great way to use up leftovers!Next, umeboshi plum vinegar will give your easy congee recipe quick-pickle flavor and texture, plus a gorgeous pop of color on your plate.Finally, don’t forget the protein by soft boiling or frying an egg. When you break it open, the yolk will add an extra, thick, and delicious layer of flavor. Otherwise, for vegan or vegetarian options, you can crumble and sauté tempeh for plant-based protein.Finally, top with any other fresh herbs or seasonings you like, such as sliced green onion or chopped cilantro. If you like spicy flavors, chili oil and sriracha are great options. For extra crunch, you can add sesame or pumpkin seeds. The possibilities are endless!

A Congee Recipe Packed with Umami Flavor (1)

Congee Recipe

Note: The measurements in this recipe will yield about six cups of congee. If you’d like to customize your congee daily, store plain congee separately from toppings. Also, once you turn off the heat, the congee will continue to thicken. Add more liquid if necessary before serving and if needed for leftovers.

PREP
10 min

COOK
1 hour 15 min

SERVES
6

INGREDIENTS

  • 7 cups water (option to use seasoned water)
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • Sea salt or soy sauce
  • 1/5 prepared pickled cabbage
  • 1/2 cup shiitake or maitake mushrooms
  • 1 egg (or tempeh)
  • Optional garnishes (cilantro, green onion, chili oil, etc.)

SUPPLIES

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Pan

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Set aside 7 cups of liquid in a large pot or Dutch oven. You can simply use water, or add miso, or make a dashi broth using kombu strips and bonito flakes for extra umami flavor.
  2. Thoroughly rinse the white rice. Add rice to the liquid and bring to a simmer. If you want to include any sweet potato or other root vegetables, add it here. Cover and continue to simmer softly for an hour or until a thick, soupy porridge forms.
  3. Season to taste. If you used dashi or miso broth, you may not need salt. If you simply used water, you can add salt or tamari at this point.
  4. While the congee base is cooking, prepare your toppings. Sauté, steam, or pickle any vegetables you want to use. Soft boil an egg or sauté some tempeh. Add these on top of your bowl of congee.
  5. Continue topping your dish with any fresh herbs, oils, or seeds.
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A Congee Recipe Packed with Umami Flavor (2024)

FAQs

How to make congee more flavorful? ›

Toward the end of cooking, when the stock has become integrated with the rice and is the consistency of oatmeal, season lightly with salt to taste. Serve the congee with a sprinkling of soy sauce, spring onion and ginger and a few drops of sesame oil to taste.

How do you fix a bland congee? ›

To give additional flavor to the soup, incorporate scallions, sh*take mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Adding any vegetables you might have in the fridge boosts the nutritional value significantly, since congee itself is not vitamin-packed.

Is congee actually healthy? ›

The benefits of congee and looser porridge result from long, slow cooking with lots of water, transforming food into a meal that hydrates, supports digestion & soothes the stomach. Congee improves digestion by soothing and balancing the entire digestive tract and every organ of digestion.

What is congee made of? ›

Congee is a traditional Chinese porridge made from boiling rice in a large amount of water for a long time. As it cooks, the rice releases its starch, which thickens it up into a porridge, and becomes soft, silky, and creamy.

What is the secret to smooth congee? ›

Beancurd skin is the secret ingredient to ensuring the texture of each bowl of congee comes out right. Adding the beancurd skin helps to make the rice grains mushy, and thus easier to cook down to a smooth consistency.

How many days is congee good for? ›

To store leftover congee, keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to five days. Reheat congee slowly in the microwave or on the stovetop just until warm.

Why do Chinese people eat congee when sick? ›

Congee has a history as a famine food — rice stretched to last with the addition of extra water — and, more commonly nowadays, the ideal sick dish. Low-effort and gentle on the stomach, it's embraced as a go-to for belly aches, colds, or days of general discomfort.

What can I add to rice porridge to make it taste better? ›

10 Rice Porridge Ideas to Make Lugaw Exciting Again
  1. Shiitake Mushrooms. Low in calories, mushrooms are an excellent protein alternative. ...
  2. Pork Floss. Pork floss or any other dried, shredded meat can take Chinese congee from good to great. ...
  3. Chicharon. ...
  4. Seafood. ...
  5. Century Egg. ...
  6. Roasted Duck. ...
  7. Ham Hocks. ...
  8. Salted Eggs.

How do you Flavour plain congee? ›

In my basic congee recipe, I'm only using ginger, garlic, dried shrimp, dried scallops, and shiitake mushrooms for flavoring. Because I grew up on congee cooked with dried seafood, I tend to prefer congee with those flavors.

Can I eat congee every day? ›

Rich in flavour and filled with the goodness of nutrients, rice congee is the perfect dish to have daily for anyone, especially children who are picky eaters. Introduce your fussy baby to a warm bowl of rice congee topped with the things they love. The delicious dish is also beneficial for your overall well-being.

Does congee spike blood sugar? ›

Congees are a popular year-round breakfast option. However, they can cause a quick rise in your blood glucose levels (BGL) because they are high in Glycaemic Index (GI) as they are made with white rice. Swap or mix your white rice with grains such as pearl barley, red beans, mung beans and rolled oats.

What's the difference between rice porridge and congee? ›

Congee or conjee is a type of rice porridge or gruel popular in many Asian countries. When eaten as plain rice congee, it is most often served with side dishes. When additional ingredients, such as meat, fish, and flavorings, are added whilst preparing the congee, it is most often served as a meal on its own.

What is another name for congee? ›

Congee is inextricably tied to my Hong Kong upbringing. We interchangeably referred to it as jook, its Cantonese name, shi fan, its Mandarin name, and congee, its English name, which takes its root from Tamil.

What goes well with congee? ›

Any type of chicken goes well with congee, such as breast, tenderloin, thighs, and leftover roast chicken. Pair this with chili oil, dried shrimp, ginger, and sesame oil.

Do you wash rice for congee? ›

It may seem counterintuitive to rinse rice that's just going to be cooked down in water, but this is an essential step! Washing the grains not only removes dirt, but also excess starch that can lead to gummy, sticky congee.

What spices to add to congee? ›

You can also use garlic chives or chives as well. White Pepper - Depending on how much you add, this adds a lightly spiced flavor to your congee. If you add a lot, it may make it slightly spicy as well.

What to put in porridge to make it taste better? ›

Banish breakfast boredom with our porridge variations.
  1. Banana, raisins and a sprinkle of nutmeg. ...
  2. Strawberries and blueberries. ...
  3. Cherry and chia seeds. ...
  4. Banana, raspberry, almond butter and cinnamon. ...
  5. Flaked almonds and chopped dates. ...
  6. Walnuts, pear slices and ginger. ...
  7. Peaches and raspberries. ...
  8. Stewed plums.

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