Our Favorite Method for Making Congee
If there were an award for “most recommended recipe” here, it would easily go to rice congee every time. Congee/jūk is the ultimate easy comfort food, dating back to at least the Zhou Dynasty in China (c. 1000 BCE).
As a matter of fact, entire books have been devoted to this beloved food as medicine staple, recipes for different ailments, seasons and beyond. It’s a great aid to poor digestion, and is often recommended to those with upset stomachs and those recovering from illness.
Essentially a porridge of grains (most often rice) and water, there are endless variations on flavor. Sweet and savory versions are both popular, and it’s a great one pot meal for families where everyone can select their own toppings and flavorings.
Congee is always my go-to if I’m pressed for time, and this recipe is even easy enough to make when you’re actively unwell. (Though I hope that isn’t the case, dear reader!) The pressure cooker method below is my personal favorite, as it cuts down on active cooking time, and I can use this cooking time to prep the additional ingredients. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, see the variations at the bottom of this recipe for our quickest stovetop method.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Congee
Add the following ingredients to the bowl of your pressure cooker, stir and cook at 12.0 PSI (HIGH) for 8 minutes with a natural pressure release:
1 cup rice, rinsed
7 cups liquid (32 oz of chicken bone broth plus 3 cups of filtered water)
2 frozen chicken breasts, boneless/skinless
While the congee is coming to pressure and cooking, use the time to prep and portion out your flavoring ingredients, such as:
Cilantro
Scallions
Raw peanuts
Sesame oil
Sliced soft boiled eggs
Chili oil or sauce
Tamari (GF) or soy sauce
Crispy fried shallots
After the natural pressure release, open the pressure cooker and remove the chicken breasts. The congee will look swollen rice at this point and still needs a bit of stirring to create a smoother, silkier texture. Shred the chicken breasts quickly using two forks and stir back into the congee, along with some freshly grated ginger and a generous pinch of salt to bring out the flavor of the chicken.
Spoon congee into bowls for serving and top with desired ingredients. Leftovers store well for several days in the refrigerator and only require a bit of stirring while reheating if separation has occurred.
Variations:
Plain version: Use 7 cups of filtered water and top as desired
Sweet versions: Experiment with replacing several cups of the plain water with a coconut or other non-dairy milk. Cinnamon, red dates and other fruits/nuts are great toppings.
Stovetop version: Recipe proportions remain the same. Rice that has been soaked for 15 minutes and frozen ahead of time works best here, though pre-cooked/leftover rice also works well. (Freshly cooked or soaked rice can be prepped ahead of time by freezing in 1 cup portions for future use.) Place all items in a large pot and bring to a boil before turning the heat to low/simmer, stirring frequently. Total cook time here will be longer, around 2 hours, and require more supervision.
Happy cooking!
