As much as I love fall, with the changing leaves and fabulous fashion options, it’s also flu and cold season for many. People at work seem to be dropping like flies, myself included. Times like this call for congee – a soupy savoury Chinese rice porridge (think runny risotto). This is a comfort food that I grew up eating whenever I suffered any sort of ailment. Whether it was a cold, stomach flu, wisdom teeth removal – you name it, congee was the cure-all. In many Asian countries, congee is served for breakfast too.
Here’s an easy way to make congee using a rice cooker – there’s nothing easier than throwing everything into a pot and clicking a button, especially when you’re hurting. Stirring is important here, but overall, this is convenience cooking that will hopefully help you through the rest of the chilly days to come.
I’ve made this version with seafood, but chicken is also a great option. Just slice some chicken thighs thinly and add right at the beginning. Congee is one of those things you can throw just about anything into – meat, mushrooms, peas, shredded lettuce, carrots, preserved eggs, fish balls, you name it. Basically, whatever makes you feel good. Stay warm and well friends.
Rice Cooker Congee
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
- Rice cooker
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup jasmine rice (uncooked)
- 8 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoon gluten-free oyster sauce (or fish sauce)
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari soy sauce
- 6 ounces sliced fish (such as salmon)
- 6 ounces frozen seafood (such as shrimp, scallops, squid)
- 3 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
- 3 tablespoons green onions (finely sliced)
- White pepper to serve
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse rice in rice cooker pot, changing water 4 to 5 times. Add stock, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, tamari sauce to pot and turn on rice cooker. Leave uncovered and stir occasionally for 45 minutes or until congee is smooth and no longer grainy. Add more water or chicken stock if necessary.
- When congee is done, change setting to 'keep warm'. Add fish and seafood to rice cooker. Stir and cover for 5 minutes or until seafoods is cooked through. Add salt to taste and stir in cilantro. Garnish with green onions and serve with white pepper and tamari sauce.
Sadly this did not work for me, nothing reduced and I was left with soup, delicious, hot soup, but soup all the same.
Scratch that, I had to alternate opening and closing it to get a proper simmer going, it turned out great.
This has saved my life!
I have spent more than a decade pining for the readily-available congee of my expat years in S.E. Asia.
This fits the bill. And it’s so easy.
Thank you!!
Side note: I used to eat this whenever I could and my Asian friends would ask if I was ill. Apparently, it was the “chicken soup” their mum’s gave them only when in need of comfort food. lol
Have made this several times and love it!
worked fine, thanks for the method of cooking it 🙂
Should I use coriander as listed in the ingredients, or cilantro per directions in cooking?
I toss in some wolfberry (qi zi), lily flower (bai he), cooked, peeled red dates (hong zao), some sliced shiitake mushrooms, and pork, lamb, or rabbit. I cook the meat from the start along with the rice. Oh, sometimes I use 2/3 cup rice and 1/3 cup barley.
I made this with pork balls seasoned with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Topped with browned dried shrimp, ginger slivers, scallion and cilantro and fish sauce with chilies
Thank you for this, I’ve been searching for a rice cooker rice porridge recipe – as I have gastritis and some days I need a soft gentle meal to sooth my irritated stomach.
I admit to changing up the recipe to be more like Japanese Okayu, and because I don’t have certain ingredients.
But using a Miso and mushroom broth instead of water, with soy and worcester sauce, tinned tuna, mixed frozen veggies, mushroom and a beaten egg at then end to lighten it up did wonders.
Definitely making this again.
Turned out great! Definitely making this again!
amazing!
How many calories is in this congee recipe?