Basic Congee (Stovetop Method)

Cantonese home cooks take careful steps to make what they consider a basic congee. They start with jasmine rice and add umami-rich ingredients such as dried scallops, dried shrimp, dried oysters, bonito flakes, bean curd skin, peanuts, aged tangerine rind, jujube and ginkgo nuts. The mixture goes through a rinse–soak–boil–simmer sequence and gently bubbles for 2 or 3 hours on the stovetop. Only then is the basic congee ready to flash-cook your choice of fresh seafood, chicken or meat. This is the old-school way of making a comforting bowl of congee with dried scallops.

Basic Congee (Stovetop Method)

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This stovetop Cantonese congee layers jasmine rice with dried scallops for a deeply savory, loose-textured jook. Finish each bowl with classic condiments like chili crisp, scallions, herbs and crisp chips for contrast.

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Prep Time:1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time:2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time:3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Black Rice, Congee

Servings: 3 Bowls

Calories: 180kcal

Author: C. B. Chu

Ingredients

For the Congee

• 4 dried scallops
• ½ cup jasmine rice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 5 cups water
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 slices fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 teaspoon mushroom powder
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• Hot water, as needed

Finishing Condiments

• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon thin soy sauce, or fish sauce*
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Chili crisp, to taste
• 2 slices fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
• 2 scallions, finely julienned
• 2 sprigs cilantro
• 1 cup iceberg lettuce, finely shredded, optional
• Roasted peanuts, optional
• Potato chips, or shrimp chips (optional)

Instructions

Soak the Dried Scallops

1. Press the dried scallops with kitchen shears to loosen the fibers. Cover them with 2 tablespoons room-temperature water and soak for 30 minutes. When softened, use your fingers to press them into very fine filaments. Return the filaments to the same water and soak until thoroughly rehydrated, about 1 hour. Set aside.

Soak the Rice

1. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with 2 or 3 changes of water. Drain well. Toss with the neutral oil. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Prep the Finishing Ingredients

1. While the rice soaks, arrange the condiments—white pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili crisp, ginger, scallions, cilantro, iceberg lettuce, roasted peanuts and potato or shrimp chips—on a platter or in small bowls.

Cook the Congee

1. Fill a large (at least 10-cup-capacity) pot with the water. Add the kosher salt, ginger slices, softened scallops and their soaking liquid. Bring to a boil.
2. Scatter the wet rice into the bubbling water so the grains do not sink and stick to the bottom. When the water returns to a boil, position 2 wooden chopsticks across the top of the pot, cover the pot and leave the lid slightly ajar. Turn the heat to low and simmer for at least 2 hours. Keep an eye on the pot to prevent boiling over and stir the congee periodically.

Adjust Texture and Seasoning

1. By tradition, Cantonese jook is loose textured rather than pasty. Adjust the consistency with hot water and the seasoning with salt, to your liking.
2. The old-school stovetop method requires patience and vigilance, but the reward is the fragrant aroma of rice cooked with care.

Serve

1. Ladle the congee into 2–3 bowls. Top each bowl with the julienned ginger and scallions, white pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve immediately. Add additional condiments as desired.

Notes

Thin, or light, soy sauce is the standard all-purpose soy sauce used in most Chinese cooking. Despite the name, “light” refers to its color and viscosity, not its sodium level. It is lighter in appearance, saltier, and more assertive in flavor than dark soy sauce, making it ideal for seasoning, marinades, stir-fries, and finishing dishes where a clean, savory brightness is desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg