Congee

[Ilaine]

Thank you all! I think I inversed mktye's recommendation (but this was made before her post) and used japanese yams to butternut squash (a very, very small one), thus ending in a 1:2 ratio. But it turned out well and was happy because it was made in the slow cooker. Now I have warm congee for lunch.

What is the method you use to make congee? I see you use a slow cooker. Can you elaborate?

[KMango]

What is the method you use to make congee? I see you use a slow cooker. Can you elaborate?

This is not what you were asking, but I make mine in a fuzzy logic rice cooker via the porridge setting.

(and not a single bear has eaten me yet)

[Anna Blume]

(and not a single bear has eaten me yet)

This is how rumors get started. You're thinking of Little Red Riding Hood's wolf. The three bears were possessive, but vegetarian. (You're also setting yourself up for some soused restaurateurs...)

[goodeats]

What is the method you use to make congee? I see you use a slow cooker. Can you elaborate?

I have been working late nights until 8 lately and not much time to cook, so I decided to google and see what recipes out there were for congee and slow cooker (I had a craving for sweet potato congee); the end result was this slow cooker recipe, which I followed none of but the time and water to rice ratio (about 1:8). Below is my recipe.

Sweet potato & butternut squash

1.5 cups of rice

8 cups of water or stock/broth (I used 7 cups of water + 1 cup of coconut milk I had leftover)

2 medium Japanese yams (from Twin Springs)

1 really small butternut squash (cutting it up yielded about 2 cups maybe by eyeballing)

salt to taste (I added 1 Chinese soup spoon full)

1. Wash the rice. Place in slow cooker.

2. Vegetable prep. Peel and dice into cubes. I wash them again after peeling. Place cubes into slow cooker.

3. Add your water base.

4. Cook on low for 10 hours. If you're pressed for time, you can put the slow cooker on high for less time. I was pressed on time, so I set it for 8 hours.

End result was a little thicker than most congee, but I like it thick, so it was tasty. I think the 3/4 cup used in the recipe would make it just in the middle.

(Funniest part was that the congee aroma woke me up earlier than the time set on the alarm! What a wonderful way to wake up.)

Hope it works for you Ilaine!

[goodeats]

I have a batch of Japanese yam with Chinese dates in Coconut Milk congee going in the slow cooker--this method is extremely convenient, if you stick to the ratio of rice to water above. I am not sure how this flavor combination will fare, but what was successful was a modified version of the oft-served Shredded Pork with 1000 year egg congee. The modification was using pork belly instead of lean pork, since I was not using a pre-made stock, just water. The fat added the flavor profile I needed, providing the key was brining the pork in salt water hours before and adding the egg only an hour before serving.

[lperry]

I tried the "soft" porridge setting on my rice cooker tonight and started it before a bike ride so there would be something healthy and comforting waiting. Once home, in went an egg and some Chinese broccoli in shreds. I was very happy with the flavor, but wasn't completely happy with the texture, so I'll try the "hard" porridge ratio next time. I've also got a bag of millet to try.

[Mrs. B]

I really like the congee served at Full Key in DC, I would be most grateful if anyone is familiar with that style and can give me hints about how to replicating with my rice cooker.

[goodeats]

I really like the congee served at Full Key in DC, I would be most grateful if anyone is familiar with that style and can give me hints about how to replicating with my rice cooker.

To replicate it with a rice cooker, you would have to repeated hit the cooking button, since Cantonese-style of congee is like sort of like cooking chili -- cooking the rice until the grains split open.

To make effortless/non-stovetop congee, the slow cooker is the best way to go.

Hints: upon googling recipes - I find most Cantonese-style to use long-grain rice (I use short grain); use leftover cooked rice, if you are going to use the rice cooker to make congee; make sure you are using enough water (ie., if you have a 3-cup rice cooker like I do, then you are using at most, a small palmful of rice to water, if that, if you are cooking from grains); and add salt to taste.