Congee

Congee is a classic Chinese dish. It is essentially a rice porridge made by boiling rice in a great deal of water until it breaks down into a pudding-like consistency.

This recipe makes pork congee using a pressure cooker.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup rice, rinsed and drained
• 12 cups of water
• 1 to 2 pounds of pork bones and or meat
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Green onion and slivered ginger for garnishing (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place rice, pork, and water into the pressure cooker (the optimum rice: water ratio for this recipe is 1:12). Close lid and cook at High Pressure for 60 minutes. Use Natural Release for 10 minutes (or longer), then manually release the remaining pressure by carefully turning the venting knob to the venting position. Open the lid carefully.

2. Remove the meat and bones to cool. Whisk the congee briefly to achieve a creamy texture.

3. Season the congee with salt and white pepper. Return shredded meat to the congee. Taste for seasoning.

4. Serve the congee in a bowl. Garnish with green onions and slivered ginger if desired.

NOTE: Condiments such as pork floss (豬肉鬆), preserved vegetables (or zhacai 榨菜) and Century Egg are traditional toppings as well. Congee can also be accompanied with Chinese crullers (deep-fried twisted dough sticks 油炸鬼). These items are found in an Asian grocery store but are optional for this recipe.