Congee with Soft Egg and Scallions
Rice simmered past recognition into a thick, spoonable porridge, dressed with a soft egg and whatever crunchy things are in the cupboard.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Written
Method
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Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear, then drain well.
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Combine the rice, broth, ginger, and salt in a heavy pot and bring to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so to keep the bottom from catching, until the grains have broken down into a thick, spoonable porridge, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
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Thin with a splash of hot water if it tightens up more than you’d like before serving.
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Ladle into bowls and top each with a halved soft-boiled egg, scallions, crispy shallots, and a drizzle of chili oil.
Notes
The long simmer is the whole point — the rice needs to blow past “cooked” and give up its starch to the liquid, which is why it gets nearly nine times its volume in broth instead of the usual two. Stop stirring too early and you’ll end up with thick soup instead of porridge; give it the full hour and a half.
This takes to leftovers well: shredded roast chicken, char siu, or a spoonful of pickled greens are all fair game stirred in at the end. Made ahead, it thickens considerably in the fridge — loosen it with hot water or broth over low heat rather than the microwave, which breaks it apart unevenly.