Congee is a stable in many Chinese-American households. “My parents eat it every day,” Ma says of the rice porridge, which is usually served for breakfast, though it often has a place on holiday tables. It’s typically topped with pre-served or canned pantry items–for Ma’s family, that’s thousand-year eggs, natto, canned mackerel, and pork floss.
Photo by: James Smith
recipe 
yields
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup long grain rice
8 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
2-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
ingredients
steps
- Using a mesh strainer, rinse rice under running water until water runs mostly clear. In a pot, combine rice, chicken stock, peppercorns, and ginger. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer and cover. Simmer until congee has a consistency of a loose risotto, about 1½ hours.
- When congee is ready, transfer to bowls and drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve with desired condiments and toppings.
Date Published: 01.18.22
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- Recipe by Andrew Chiou and Tim Ma, Lucky Danger, Washington D.C.
