Sue Zann Toh

Also known as jook, chok, Chinese porridge and rice porridge, congee is one of those traditional Chinese foods that reminds me of home. In particular, whenever us kids were sick, our parents made us congee of some sort, chicken, fish, pork or plain.

The following recipe is the most basic and most simple congee recipe that could ever exist. It serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 cup long rice
• 2 L water

Instructions

1. Add rice and water in a saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Reduce to simmer for about one and a half hours, stirring.

Optional

• Add 400-500 g diced chicken (breast or thigh, which ever you prefer), pork or fish (white flesh) about 30 minutes before end of cooking.
• Add salt and pepper to taste at the end of cooking.
• You can cook the congee with garlic and ginger for flavour.
• If you like smoother congee, cook for longer and add more water as needed. If you like chunkier congee, cook for less time and use less water. I like my congee somewhere in between, and I find that the recipe above gives the exact right consistency that I like.