dish out half of the pork mixture and set aside in a bowl.
Add the rinsed rice to the remaining pork mixture; stir to mix well.
Slowly add the water, cover the rice cooker, and allow the mixture to come to a boil. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover. Add the reserved pork mixture, stir gently, and continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally, until the rice turns into a soft pulp. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
Season with pepper and garnish with green onions before serving.
Cooking Tip
In many Chinese restaurants, the rice congee served is so smooth that you cannot even see the whole grains anymore. A lot of chefs use a mixture of rice grains (broken grains, pearl rice grains, and others) to achieve the smooth “gluey” consistency. If you are using only long-grain or short-grain rice at home, you can stir the rice mixture at intervals during cooking and simmering. This will break up the whole grains and allow the final consistency to be smooth.
Sweet Potato Congee
Adding sweet potatoes to rice porridge seems to have originated during wartime, when rice was considered expensive and sweet potatoes were in abundance. The sweet potatoes were added to rice congee to give it more bulk and substance.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
1 peeled sweet potato, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt, to taste
Add the rinsed rice and water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover.
Add the sweet potatoes and salt, stir the congee, and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
Gojiberry Congee
Presoak the dried gojiberries in water to soften them slightly prior to cooking. Do not add them until about 5 minutes before serving the congee, because the gojiberries become bitter when they are cooked too long.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
½ cup dried gojiberries, soaked in warm water
Add the rinsed rice and water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover, stir the congee, and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
About 5 minutes before serving the congee, stir in gojiberries.
Do You Know?
Gojiberry is also known as Chinese wolfberry and has been touted as one of the super foods in recent years due to the amount of antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber the berries contain. Specifically, gojiberry has high amounts of beta carotene, essential minerals, and vitamins B and C. In traditional Chinese medicine, gojiberry is also a natural supplement known to relieve eye strain.
Taro and Spinach Congee
Substitute chicken or beef for the pork if preferred.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound lean pork strips (about ¼-inch thick each strip)
1 cup peeled and cubed taro (½-inch cubes)
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
3 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add
Add the rinsed rice to the remaining pork mixture; stir to mix well.
Slowly add the water, cover the rice cooker, and allow the mixture to come to a boil. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover. Add the reserved pork mixture, stir gently, and continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally, until the rice turns into a soft pulp. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
Season with pepper and garnish with green onions before serving.
Cooking Tip
In many Chinese restaurants, the rice congee served is so smooth that you cannot even see the whole grains anymore. A lot of chefs use a mixture of rice grains (broken grains, pearl rice grains, and others) to achieve the smooth “gluey” consistency. If you are using only long-grain or short-grain rice at home, you can stir the rice mixture at intervals during cooking and simmering. This will break up the whole grains and allow the final consistency to be smooth.
Sweet Potato Congee
Adding sweet potatoes to rice porridge seems to have originated during wartime, when rice was considered expensive and sweet potatoes were in abundance. The sweet potatoes were added to rice congee to give it more bulk and substance.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
1 peeled sweet potato, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt, to taste
Add the rinsed rice and water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover.
Add the sweet potatoes and salt, stir the congee, and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
Gojiberry Congee
Presoak the dried gojiberries in water to soften them slightly prior to cooking. Do not add them until about 5 minutes before serving the congee, because the gojiberries become bitter when they are cooked too long.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
½ cup dried gojiberries, soaked in warm water
Add the rinsed rice and water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When you hear the rice cooker making noises and see some over-bubbling of fluid at the lid, lift up the rice cooker cover, stir the congee, and continue to cook for 30 to 45 minutes with the cover tilted slightly to vent the steam pressure. Stir occasionally. During this process you can adjust the amount of water, depending on whether you like soupy or thick rice congee.
About 5 minutes before serving the congee, stir in gojiberries.
Do You Know?
Gojiberry is also known as Chinese wolfberry and has been touted as one of the super foods in recent years due to the amount of antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber the berries contain. Specifically, gojiberry has high amounts of beta carotene, essential minerals, and vitamins B and C. In traditional Chinese medicine, gojiberry is also a natural supplement known to relieve eye strain.
Taro and Spinach Congee
Substitute chicken or beef for the pork if preferred.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound lean pork strips (about ¼-inch thick each strip)
1 cup peeled and cubed taro (½-inch cubes)
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 to 5 cups water, less water for thicker consistency
3 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach
Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add
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