Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge)

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

When I was a kid, I’d eat congee almost every other day. Congee is a traditional Chinese porridge made from boiling rice in a large amount of water for a long time. As it cooks, the rice releases its starch, which thickens it up into a porridge, and becomes soft, silky, and creamy. It’s usually eaten for breakfast, as a late dinner, or as a fill-in for a side of cooked white rice at any meal.

Ingredients

1 cup medium or long-grain white rice
8 cups water
1 (1-inch) piece ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 medium scallions
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 teapoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Instructions

Place 1 cup white rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Place the rice in a large saucepan and add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice a 1-inch piece of ginger. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions on a slight diagonal, keeping the white and green parts separate. Reserve the green parts for garnish.
When the congee is boiling, reduce the heat as needed to maintain a brisk simmer. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites. Stir to combine. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and making sure to scrape to the bottom of the saucepan, until very creamy and thickened, 30 to 35 minutes.
When the congee is ready, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve topped with the reserved scallion greens and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.