Basic Congee Recipe
This comforting basic congee recipe is a traditional Asian rice porridge made by simmering white rice with water until creamy and thick. Enhanced with ginger, garlic, and scallions, and seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper, it makes for a soothing and adaptable dish perfect for breakfast or light meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup medium or long-grain white rice
- 8 cups water
Flavorings and Seasonings
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced on a slight diagonal (separate white and green parts)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the Rice: Place 1 cup of white rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.
- Prepare Flavorings: Peel and thinly slice the ginger, garlic cloves, and scallions. Keep the green parts of scallions separate for garnish.
- Start Cooking the Congee: Transfer the rinsed rice to a large saucepan and add 8 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add Aromatics and Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Add the sliced ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallions. Stir to combine.
- Simmer Until Creamy: Let the congee simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, until the porridge becomes very creamy and thickened.
- Season the Congee: Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if necessary.
- Serve: Ladle the congee into bowls and garnish with reserved scallion greens and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil before serving.
Notes
- You can use medium or long-grain white rice; jasmine rice works well too.
- Stirring occasionally is important to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan and to achieve a creamy texture.
- Adjust water amounts slightly if you prefer a thicker or thinner congee.
- For added protein, top with cooked chicken, pork, or century egg.
- Leftover congee can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated with a little water to adjust consistency.
Keywords: congee, rice porridge, Asian porridge, breakfast recipe, ginger garlic congee
Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/basic-congee-recipe/
