Congee is a simple rice soup or porridge that has been eaten all over Asia for centuries. The two essential ingredients are rice and water but many different meats, vegetables, sauces and spices can be added to it. Congee is a cheap dish and quite filling considering and it is eaten as comfort food for the unwell, the very young and the very old. It is usually eaten for breakfast, but also lunch or dinner. It is so common that even McDonald’s sells congee in many Asian countries.
I’ve eaten congee from when I was a tiny baby and I’ve eaten rice soup and porridge in many Asian countries in my travels. I always find it very comforting, especially for a traveller’s tummy.
When I first signed onto the Live Below The Line challenge, I thought I wouldn’t be eating meat. But when I saw chicken frames at $1.99 per kilogram at my local Chinese supermarket, I knew I had to use it. So at the start of this week, I cooked up one kilogram of chicken bones with a carrot, half an onion and 3 litres of water to make a simple chicken stock.
This is one of the recipes that makes use of the stock.
I’ve written this recipe for one chicken frame and half a cup of rice, but you can easily make more by multiplying the quantities.
Chicken Congee
Serves 2 or a very hungry 1
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of rice
- 250 grams (half a pound) cooked chicken bones or one chicken frame
- 1 cup of unsalted chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Fresh ginger
- Optional: Spring onion or coriander
Preparation
- In a pot, bring water to a boil, add rice and stock, turn the heat down and cover loosely with a lid, allowing for a little steam to escape. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure grains do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Porridge should be thick and creamy. If it gets too thick, add half a cup of water.
- Add cooked chicken bones, soy sauce, salt. Once chicken is warmed through transfer to bowl/s.
- Peel garlic and slice thinly, fry in 1 teaspoon of oil until golden.
- Garnish with julienned ginger, fried garlic and optional herbs.
Read about my other posts on congee here.
Bunny Eats Design 
I love rice, and I love porridge. I’ve travelled in many Asian countries and eaten yum cha a gazillion time…. Can you believe I have never eaten congee?
Ot’s always looked quite gluey so I just never went there!
Next time I see it, I’ll try it and think of you.
Hey D! Congee at yum cha is regarded as a filler. If you’re hungry at the end of the meal kind of thing and it’s usually plain, though they might also offer century egg versions. Proceed with caution. Century egg can be an acquired taste! I would recommend a chicken congee to ease the western palate into congee. Think of it as a cross between chicken risotto and chicken soup. Not so scary.
I’ve actually had congee at McDonalds (in my hometown of Kuching, Malaysia)! I bought some century eggs on the weekend, so it’s time to congee!
I don’t thin I had McDonald’s when I visited Malaysia. Though I did have KFC. They didn’t have congee there that I remembered, but they did have chicken rice 🙂
I test congee at work on rice cookers but I’m never really sure how it is meant to look. That looks really yummy Genie!
You know what? I can’t cook rice without a rice cooker, but I never congee in one. You just pop it on the stove and keep cooking it until the rice grains break down and you can’t see individual grain anymore. About an hour on a slow simmer will do it.
I’ll give it a go. It fascinates me 🙂
Asian-food failure that I am, I made congee once and ended up with a bouncy mass of completely solid stuff. My mom just couldn’t believe it.
I’m going to follow your recipe now!
lol. Just add half a cup of water if it starts to look a bit thick. That’s what I do 🙂