I love congee, it's probably one of my favourite breakfast dishes and I have some great congee recently in Thailand. Here's how I make it at home to help reduce the cook time but ensure that it still has lots of flavour. It's also a great dish to make if you have leftover cooked chicken in the fridge.
Category
Breakfast
Servings
4
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
40 minutes
I love congee, it's probably one of my favourite breakfast dishes and I have some great congee recently in Thailand. Here's how I make it at home to help reduce the cook time but ensure that it still has lots of flavour. It's also a great dish to make if you have some chicken in the fridge that you need to use.
Ingredient Support
Chicken stock (white) - This just means a lighter, clearer stock made without roasting the bones first. It’s more delicate in flavour than dark stock and lets the rice and ginger shine. If all you can find is regular chicken stock, that’s fine. Just go for something clean, not overly salty.
Rice - I use jasmine rice as it breaks down nicely when cooked, which is exactly what you want for congee. You can use other white short-medium grain rice is you can't find jasmine rice.
White pepper - you want to use white pepper as it has a milder and slightly earthier than black pepper. It gives a lot of warmth without the sharp bite.
Oyster sauce - this adds depth and umami to the dish so it's really important. You can pick up a good oyster sauce at your local Asian supermarket.
MSG - this is optional but it will enhance the flavours and you only need a small pinch.
Maggi seasoning - This is a liquid seasoning used a lot across Asia and Europe. It’s salty, savoury and slightly fermented in flavour. A dash at the end boosts everything without overpowering it. If you don't have Maggi seasoning, you can swap it out for some light soy sauce or Tamari.
Sesame oil - It's used more like a finishing oil here and it adds some extra nuttiness and aroma to your congee. If you need a substitute, you can use spring onion oil, chilli oil or garlic oil. They'll give it a different flavour but you can pick your flavour preference.
Tools
- Large saucepan (for the congee)
- Medium saucepan (for the eggs)
- Large mixing bowl (for marinating the chicken)
- Grater or microplane (for the ginger)
- Measuring jug and spoons
- Chef’s knife, chopping board, slotted spoon, and wooden spoon or ladle
Ingredients
-
1L chicken stock (white)
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2 x thumb-size piece fresh ginger
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2 spring onions
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1 garlic clove
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2 tsp light soy sauce
-
180g Jasmine rice
-
600g chicken thighs
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pinch of sea salt and white pepper
-
1 tbsp oyster sauce
-
pinch of MSG
-
maggi seasoning
-
4 eggs
-
1 tsp sesame oil
-
coriander leaves, to serve
Directions
Prep the soup base
Put chicken stock in a large saucepan and place over medium high heat.
Slice 1 of the pieces of ginger and add to the saucepan, along with 1 smashed garlic clove, the white part of the spring onions and half of the soy sauce.
Bring to a boil, then pour in the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the chicken
Dice the chicken thigh into cubes. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and white pepper. Add the oyster sauce and MSG and stir well to combine. Set aside to marinate.
Once the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, add the chicken to the pan.
Stir to combine, then continue cooking for a further 15 minutes. Stir the congee quite often and vigorously as it gets closer to being cooked.
Cook the eggs
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and leave the eggs to sit in the hot water for 3 minutes (or 5 minutes for hard boiled).
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and plunge into a large bowl of iced water.
Peel the eggs and set aside until serving.
Finish and serve
Slice the remaining spring onions thinly on the bias. Reserve the darker green ends for garnish.
Peel the remaining ginger and slice into a fine julienne.
Remove the ginger and whites of spring onion from the congee and discard.
Stir through half of the julienne ginger, then the light green spring onions. Season with the sesame oil and remaining light soy and turn the heat off.
To serve spoon into bowls and garnish with remaining ginger and onion, top with a halved egg and season with a dash of Maggi seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves if you like.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Cook support
Add a little extra water to the congee if it starts to get too thick towards the end of cooking time. And the more you stir towards the end the creamier the end result can be.
Sourcing
White chicken stock uses raw bones and vegetables for a lighter and more delicate flavour, which is ideal for soups and congee, whereas dark (brown) stock roasts uses roasted bones and aromatics for a deeper colour and richer flavour. Both varieties can be purchased from major supermarkets and quality green grocers.
Substitutions
You can use any leftover cooked meat you have on hand in this recipe, such as turkey, pork, beef steak. Simply add it right at the end just to bring it to temperature.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Serving ideas
For some extra kick in your congee you can add some finely sliced red chilli or chilli crisp to serve.
Chef Tips
- Rinse the rice before cooking. It helps the grains break down more evenly and gives you a smoother texture.
- Keep the heat gentle once it starts simmering. A rolling boil will make it gluey instead of silky.
- Stir more as it gets closer to being done. That agitation is what gives congee its creamy finish.
- Cut the chicken into small, even pieces so it cooks gently and stays tender.
- Season the chicken before it goes in. That way the flavour builds into the congee rather than sitting on top.
- If it gets too thick, just add a splash of hot water or stock to loosen it. Congee should feel comforting and spoonable, not stodgy.
- Add the sesame oil and Maggi right at the end. Heat dulls their aroma, so finishing with them keeps everything vibrant.
- Check your seasoning before serving.
