BreakfastBrunchMain Course

Vegetarian Congee

Name: Vegetarian Congee
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: 1 cup jasmine rice rinsed; 2,000 ml vegetable broth; 30 g dried shiitake mushroom rehydrated and sliced; 15 g ginger peeled and julienned; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp white pepper ground; 2 pcs scallion thinly sliced; 5 g ginger peeled and finely julienned; 2 tbsp fried shallot; 1 tbsp sesame oil toasted; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 4 pcs egg soft-boiled (optional); 10 g cilantro fresh leaves (optional)

A deeply comforting and simple rice porridge, simmered slowly in vegetable broth until thick and creamy. This versatile dish serves as a perfect canvas for savory toppings like shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and scallions.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 30 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Per serving: 345 kcal

Vegetarian

Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, sesame, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

1 cupjasmine rice, rinsed
2,000 mlvegetable broth
30 gdried shiitake mushroom, rehydrated and sliced
1 tspsalt
0.5 tspwhite pepper, ground

base

15 gginger, peeled and julienned

garnish

2 pcsscallion, thinly sliced
5 gginger, peeled and finely julienned
2 tbspfried shallot
1 tbspsesame oil, toasted
2 tbspsoy sauce
4 pcsegg, soft-boiled(optional)
10 gcilantro, fresh leaves(optional)

Equipment

fine-mesh sieve · ladle · large pot · cutting board · knife

The method

Step by step

1
Place the jasmine rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Thoroughly rinsing the rice removes excess starch, which helps create a cleaner-tasting congee.
2
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the rinsed rice and the vegetable broth.
About 1 min
3
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from clumping.
About 7 min
4
Once boiling, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and the julienned ginger for the base.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: If you soaked dried mushrooms, you can add some of the flavorful soaking liquid to the pot for extra depth.
5
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 60-75 minutes.
About 1 hr 15 min
Cook’s note: Stir the congee every 15-20 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6
The congee is ready when the rice grains have mostly broken down and the consistency is thick and creamy.
Cook’s note: If the congee becomes too thick for your liking, stir in a splash of hot water or broth to loosen it.
7
Turn off the heat and stir in the salt and ground white pepper.
About 1 min
8
Ladle the hot congee into serving bowls.
About 2 min
9
Top each bowl with sliced scallions, fried shallots, the remaining ginger for garnish, and optional cilantro leaves and soft-boiled egg.
About 2 min
10
Drizzle with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil just before serving.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: For a gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Per serving

Nutrition

65%Score

Calories: 345.3kcal
Protein: 13.4g
Carbs: 48.3g
Fat: 10.5g
Fibre: 1.6g
Sugar: 2.6g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover congee in an airtight container in the refrigerator, keeping toppings separate.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth to reach the desired consistency.