Congee (rice porridge)

If you like savory breakfast dishes, you’ll love this congee with tempeh, edamame, and pak choi. Congee is a savory Asian rice porridge that is very popular throughout Asia. Don’t miss out on this healthy Asian comfort food!

I first tried congee on a trip to Thailand a few years ago. I was a little skeptical at first, but then I loved it! And the best part is that it’s super versatile. You can add any toppings you like.

What is Conge?

Some of you are now probably wondering what I’m talking about. And you’re right, congee is not on the menu of most West Asian restaurants. But in China as well as many other Asian countries it has been a breakfast staple for many centuries.

Breakfast?! Yes, the congee is kind of Asian savory rice porridge this is typically eaten for breakfast. It is especially popular with children and the elderly as it is easy to eat and digest. There are many different versions of this popular Asian rice porridge.

The congee is made from white rice that is boiled in plenty of water until it becomes soft and creamy. This usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours.

However, you don’t necessarily have to eat it for breakfast if it feels a little too salty in the morning. It is also a great and healthy dinner. And this is how we usually eat it.

What you need to make the congee:

Congee is super cheap. You can find all the ingredients for this recipe at any regular grocery store.

For the basic congee recipe you need:

long grain white rice
sesame oil
garlic
vegetable broth

As always, you can find the full ingredient list in a separate recipe box at the end of this post. I’ve also included lots of toppings.

My favorite congee toppings:

tempeh
I am willow
soy beans
green onions
Pak Choi
Sesame seeds
bamboo shoots
Sriracha sauce

Making congee couldn’t be much easier! You just have to follow three simple steps.

STEP 1: Heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan and cook the rice and garlic for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 2: Then add the vegetable broth, bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer.

STEP 3: Partially cover and continue to simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Towards the end mix more often to make it creamier. Add more vegetable broth or water if needed.

Congee – Recipe Notes:

To make the congee, the rice is boiled in plenty of water until it softens and becomes really thick and creamy. For me, it took about an hour and I used a cup of rice and about 10 cups of vegetable stock. However, you may need to adjust the amount of vegetable stock a bit.
Obviously you can also use water, but I like it much better with vegetable broth.
I used long grain rice, but I read that it could also be done with brown rice but then it takes much longer. However, I haven’t tried it myself.
If your congee is too thick, add some boiling water.
You can also make a sweet version of congee by adding raisins, dates, and a little brown sugar.

As I found out congee is not like porridge

Never heard of congee before our first trip to Thailand at the end of 2012. My husband and I actually returned from a three month backpacking trip to Australia and had a layover Bangkokwhere we spent 5 days.

So in our hotel we had this huge breakfast buffet with all these delicious Asian and Western dishes. It was our first time in Asia so we didn’t really know they would have hot and savory food for breakfast and we were actually a bit surprised. They offered fried rice, noodles, lots of different veggies, some meat, and of course, congee too.

I really like porridge and was told it was vegan because it wasn’t made with milk. So I figured I’d just eat some porridge along with some fresh fruit. Well it wasn’t good at all and there was something wrong with this porridge… It wasn’t sweet at all and tasted awful with my watermelon and mango.

When we asked the waiter about it, he really laughed and explained it to us the congee was a typical savory rice porridge and wasn’t supposed to be sweet.

He also showed us that they had many different toppings and condiments like green onion, tofu, sesame seeds, bamboo shoots, fried garlic, spicy pickles, and minced pork or beef to eat along with the rice porridge.

He probably came home that night and told his family about this crazy European girl who ate watermelon and mango congee. Haha!

Well, since that day we knew how to eat this Asian Rice Porridge and the next day I really wanted to try it again. AS I had it with fried tofu, sesame seeds, green onions, bamboo shoots and a few splashes of soy sauce. And it was really, really good!!

Congee – Frequently Asked Questions:

Are congee and porridge the same thing?

No, congee and porridge are definitely not the same thing. While porridge is mostly sweet, congee is savory.

Also, congee is made with rice and broth while porridge is made with oats and water or milk. However, both are popular breakfast dishes.

What does the congee taste like?

The congee has a hearty and savory taste. However, it depends a bit on the type of broth and spices you use. If you just make it with water, it doesn’t have much flavor. But in most cases it is made with vegetable or beef broth and has a very hearty taste.

Can congee be stored overnight?

Yes, it can definitely be kept overnight. However, you should refrigerate it as soon as possible after cooking. Let it cool a bit and then transfer it to airtight containers that you can store in the refrigerator.

Can the congee be reheated?

Yes, it can easily be heated. To heat it up, add just a few more vegetables and reboil it.

Other delicious Asian recipes you might like:

I hope you enjoy this congee recipe as much as we do around here.

If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think. As soon as leave me a comment and a star rating under. Your comments really make my day!

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Super easy and delicious recipe for congee (Asian rice porridge) with tempeh, edamame and pak choi. Don’t miss out on this healthy Asian comfort food!

Press Pin Evaluate

Course: Main door

Kitchen: Asian

Preparation time: 10 min

Time to cook: 1 Now

Total time: 1 Now 10 min

Portions: 4 portions

Calories: 351kcal

Instructions

Heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan and cook the rice and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil and lower the heat until it simmers. Partially cover and continue to simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Towards the end mix more often to make it creamier. Add more vegetable broth or water if needed.
Meanwhile, prepare the tempeh. Heat more sesame oil in a skillet, add the tempeh, soy sauce and paprika powder and cook for 4 minutes or until crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
Then prepare the pak choi. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of water in a medium saucepan with a lid and steam the pak choi for about 3 minutes. Season with a splash of soy sauce.
Serve the congee (warm) with the toppings and top it off with a little soy sauce and sriracha.

Notes

To make the congee, the rice is boiled in plenty of water until it softens and becomes really thick and creamy. For me, it took about an hour and I used a cup of rice and about 10 cups of vegetable stock. However, you may need to adjust the amount of vegetable stock a bit.
Obviously you can also use water, but I like it much better with vegetable broth.
I used long grain rice, but I read that it could also be done with brown rice but then it takes much longer. However, I haven’t tried it myself.
If your congee is too thick, add some boiling water.
You can also make a sweet version of congee by adding raisins, dates, and a little brown sugar.

Nutrition

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