The weather is starting to cool down, and it makes me crave congee. Congee has always been one of my favorite comfort foods— it’s simple and soothing. Today, I’m making a Cantonese-style version with pork meatballs, fresh ginger, and green onions. It’s nothing fancy, but it always hits the spot. This is truly the perfect fall recipe.
What is Congee?
Congee is a rice porridge often served for breakfast or as a late-night meal. When people refer to congee, they typically mean a traditional Chinese rice porridge. However, congee is a staple across Asia, including Japan, Korea, Singapore, India, and many other regions. Different regions have their own take on what to add to this comforting dish. The common ingredients added to congee range from pork, chicken, minced beef, seafood, and preserved vegetables. Toppings such as green onions, ginger slices, fried garlic and shallots, or fried dough are also used to enhance the texture and taste.
Where did the word congee originate?
The word congee is believed to have originated in India. In Tamil, kanji refers to the water in which rice is cooked in. Similar words to kanni in Malayalam and kanji in Urdu, respectively, also share a similar meaning. The word then morphed into canje in Portuguese when the Portuguese documented their discoveries in their colonies in the 1600s. Centuries later, congee is the word to describe rice porridge.
Why is congee the ultimate comfort food?
Congee is so customizable! Once you have the congee base, you can add whatever ingredients that your heart desires. The easiest way to assemble a congee is to pick a protein and then some aromatics (think green onions or cilantro). For those who appreciate something warm, this is the ultimate comfort food for cooler weather.
Pork Meatball Congee Recipe
Congee with Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 5 cups water plus extra
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 ginger slice peeled and cut into thin strips
- 2 stalks green onions sliced
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for about one minute, until the water runs mostly clear.
- In a large pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Then, add the jasmine rice and simmer over medium-low heat with the lid partially open, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for 25 minutes until the rice starts to break up. Use a whisk and break up the rice. Continue simmering for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. If the congee gets too thick, add some hot water to thin it out.
- While the congee is simmering away, combine the ground pork, soy sauce, white pepper, brown sugar, and toasted sesame oil in a bowl. Marinate until you are ready to add the pork meatballs to the congee.
- To make the meatballs, take about a tablespoon of the mixture, cup it in your palm, and roll it between your hands until you form a ball.
- Add the ginger slices and the pork meatballs to the bubbling congee. Cook until the meatballs are done, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Taste and season with sea salt to taste. Stir in the sliced green onions and serve.
Video
Notes
- Keep a close eye on the pot during the first 20 minutes of simmering the congee, as it can easily boil over due to the high starch content in the rice. Once the rice starts to break up, that’s when the risk of boiling over is lower.
- Keep stirring the congee towards the end of cooking to prevent sticking.
- To help speed up the congee cooking process, after rinsing the rice with water, store it in a freezer-safe bag or bowl and freeze it overnight.
- Substitute white pepper with black pepper in the recipe if needed.