Congee Rice Porridge

Topped with spicy, nutty chicken and herbs

I was never really a big fan of breakfast until I was old enough to feed myself and realised I could do what the hell I wanted, and it turns out that what I wanted was congee. A slowly simmered rice porridge made with chicken stock and topped with different things, if you like.

This discovery was made when fortunate enough to visit China for the first time with work, tucking into a big bowlful every morning at the hotel buffets. The love endured when visiting my dad and his Jakarta-born wife Leny in the early days of their marriage. We were heading to bed but she was still busy in the kitchen and called out to me that there would be cereal in the morning. I asked her what she was doing and when she said she was making ‘Bubur Ayam’ (Indonesian style congee) from the chicken bones leftover from dinner, I squealed with delight. She was equally as happy to discover our mutual love and every time I visit we both now heartily, hungry tuck into a bowlful in the mornings. I like to think it brought us closer to each other, too.

I quite often make a lot of homemade chicken broth, and this makes congee a very simple affair, ready for Monday mornings - thrown into the slow cooker the night before and eagerly scooped up in the morning. Here’s how you can make congee and add a twist to the leftovers.

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Serves up to four people

Ingredients

2 chicken legs

Chonk of bashed ginger

3 or 4 garlic cloves

2 spring onions

Glug of shaoxing wine

Water to cover

Salt

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150g rice

400ml chicken broth

Chicken leg bones

1400ml water

Chonk of bashed ginger

3 or 4 garlic cloves

Method

Cover chicken legs with water

Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that has appeared

Add ginger, garlic, shaoxing if you have some, and the spring onions (give these a little trim first)

Simmer until the chicken has cooked through - about 40 minutes

Remove the chicken and shred from the bone once it has cooled and refrigerate, keeping the bones aside

Divide the broth up - some you can save for another day, but keep around 400ml for making congee

Switch the slow cooker to low and add all of the ingredients - the water, the broth, the rice, ginger, garlic, chicken bones

Cover and go to bed until the morning when you’ll have a lovely savoury congee that you can season to taste

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Enjoy with the cold shredded chicken and chopped spring onions for something simple, or follow Leny’s style by topping yours with shredded satay chicken, kecap manis, chopped celery, spicy chillies, prawn crackers and a boiled egg. I quite often quickly reheat the chicken in a saucepan with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a tsp of brown sugar, some peanut powder, and a few spoons of White Mausu Peanut Rāyu which is a blend of crispy garlic, roasted peanuts and sesame seeds, Korean chilli flakes, agave and tamari (as pictured above), as well as whatever herbs I have which is usually coriander, chives, and spring onions.

With the leftovers, I quite often reheat the congee thoroughly the next day before adding the juice of a whole lemon and chopped up leftover chicken with a poached egg on top so it’s more of an avgolemono.

For more chicken broth inspired recipes, you’re invited to click for the chicken broth party below. Let me know in the comments how you like your congee, or other chicken broth based dishes so I can extend the piece to even more comprehensive.

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