기본 콘텐츠로 건너뛰기

COOKING LESSONS FROM THE KITCHN How To Make Congee Rice Porridge

Post Image
(Image credit: Christine Han)

Have you ever had congee? This silky, savory rice porridge is an everyday breakfast in China — and indeed, in many parts of the world, where it goes by names like jookkhao tom moo, and arroz caldo. Obviously, if you’re not already in the know when it comes to this breakfast, you’d better listen up. You’re in for a real treat.

Post Image
(Image credit: Christine Han)

What Makes a Great Congee?

I asked Pat Tanumihardja, author of The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook and blogger behind the Smithsonian’s Pickles and Tea blog, to describe her ideal congee, and her instant reply was, “The one that mom or grandma makes!” She went on to explain that congee is a comfort food in Chinese cuisine, much like macaroni and cheese or chocolate chip cookies — the one your mom made for you when you were a kid will always be the best.

At its heart, congee is an ultra-simple dish. Simmer a small amount of rice in a large amount of water for several hours, and you have congee. It’s silky, creamy, and best eaten with a spoon. Tanumihardja told me that there is no specific ratio of rice to liquid when making congee. She recommends starting with one cup of dry rice and six cups of liquid, then adding more liquid or simmering for longer until you reach a consistency and a texture that you like. Also, the more frequently you stir, the more the rice will break down and become silky.

Post Image
(Image credit: Christine Han)

Making Congee a Meal

To give congee more flavor and richness, you can simmer the rice in chicken stock, or even throw a few chicken pieces or leftover bones into the pot to simmer along with the rice. You can pull the cooked meat off the bones at the end and stir them into the porridge.

Congee is also usually served with various toppings, like fried shallots, sliced green onions, pickled mustard cabbage, or a poached egg. Tanumihardja remembers her mother stirring “a raw egg into a piping-hot bowl of congee, and it would cook and form silky threads in the hot mixture.”

Congee is usually served as a breakfast food, but you can also eat it for lunch, dinner, or even a late-night snack. Try a bowl of congee if you’re sick, too. Tanumihardja says, “Chicken congee is the Chinese equivalent of chicken noodle soup, cooked with lots of ginger to clear the sinuses.”

Post Image
(Image credit: Christine Han)

Congee, Your Way

Again and again in our conversation, Tanumihardja emphasized that congee is a meal that’s all about personal preference. Have some chicken wings? Throw those in. Want to try making congee with brown rice or quinoa? Go for it. Have some kimchi that needs eating? Pile it on. There’s no right or wrong way here! Start with this basic recipe, and then start trying variations based on what you have in your kitchen and what you’re craving.

1 / 10
Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a large strainer or colander and rinse it under cool water. The water running through the rice will usually look milky at first, but will then become clearer. It’s fine if there’s still some haze in the water. (Image credit: Christine Han)

댓글

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

우리나라를 대표하는 음식 외국인의 입맛을 사로잡은 한국음식 10

      외국인이 가장 좋아하는 한국 음식은 무엇일까. 한국 하면 김치를 생각하던 이전과 달리 한류 드라마를 통해 다양한 한식이 알려지면서 외국인들이 찾는 한식이 다양해지고 있다. 트렌드에 따라 파막(파전+막걸리), 치맥(치킨+맥주), 삼쏘(삼겹살+소주) 등 한국에서 꿀 조합이라 불리는 메뉴들도 외국인들의 입맛을 사로잡고 있다. 요즘 방송 프로그램을 통해 한국인 못지않은 한국 입맛을 보여주는 외국인들도 많다. 과연 이들의 입맛을 사로잡은 한국 음식은 무엇이 있을까?  1. 불고기 외국인들이 좋아하는 한식을 보면 '불고기'는 항상 들어있다. 불고기는 코리안 바비큐라 불리며 외국인들의 입맛까지 사로잡았다. 일반 바비큐와 다르게 뼈를 발라내지 않아도 되고, 매운맛이 강한 김치와 달리 고기에 달달한 간장양념을 더해 남녀노소 호불호 없이 즐길 수 있다. 외국에 한식당을 차려 운영하는 과정을 담은 tvN <윤식당>에서도 주메뉴로 불고기를 선택했다. 이 방송을 통해 많은 외국인이 자연스레 불고기를 주문하는 모습을 볼 수 있다.  2. 삼겹살 외국인들이 우리나라에서 와서 가장 먹고 싶어 하는 음식 중 하나가 '삼겹살'이라고 한다. 고소하니 쫄깃한 삼겹살과 딜리셔스 소스라 불리는 쌈장까지 큰 인기를 얻고 있다. 유튜브에는 삼겹살이 낯선 외국인들을 위해 삼겹살을 쌈 싸 먹는 튜토리얼이 수두룩하다. 특히 할리우드 배우들도 한국에 방문하면 꼭 먹고 싶은 음식으로 자주 언급하는데, 영화 '어벤져스'의 주역 '로버트 다우니 주니어'는 영화 홍보차 한국에 방문했을 때 삼겹살과 소주를 즐긴 인증사진을 인스타그램을 통해 공개한 바 있다.  3. 잡채 젓가락질을 힘들어하는 외국인들이 파스타처럼 즐길 수 있는 한식 '잡채'. 맵지도 않고, 간장양념을 베이스로 단맛이 돌아 코리안 누들로 인기를 얻고 있다. 쫄깃한 당면에 각종 채소와 고기를 넣어 맛뿐만 아니라 비주얼까지 훌륭한 음식이다.  4. 파전 '코리...

외국인을 위한 본죽&비빔밥 메뉴 안내 서비스.Bonjuk and Bibimbap Menu

Japanese Rice Porridge (Okayu) お粥

Simple and easy homemade Japanese rice porridge recipe. All you need is water and rice. Garnish with scallions, salted salmon, and nori, this homey, comforting dish will sure to keep you nourished and the chill at bay. At this time of year when the cold and flu season is at its peak, my children usually take turns to bring home a few rounds of sicknesses from school. Last weekend we caught a cold traveling back from Utah and our whole family came down with fever and coughs. We didn’t have much of an appetite, so I decided to make some warm  Japanese Rice Porridge (Okayu)  for the family. It is the most comforting Japanese cold remedy that I depend on to tackle the weak stomach. Japanese Rice Porridge – A Healing Food Rice Porridge , or we call it  Okayu   (お粥), is a simple dish made with rice and water. The rice is simmered in a pot with water until the mixture disintegrates. As the rice is tender soft and easily digestible, it is known as a healing food in Japan. We...