Chicken & Ginger Congee

Chicken & Ginger Congee, a comfort food made of silky and savory rice porridge, guaranteed to feed your soul in a hearty manner.

Chicken & Ginger Congee, a household comfort food for us when we we were kids and even until now. In Asia, congee is a type of rice porridge, when cooked plain, is usually served with multiple side dishes. When additional ingredients, such as meat and fish are added, it can be and is often served as a meal on its own. 

When Bella and Jamie were babies, right about at their second stages on solid foods (baby food that is slightly thicker and more textured), I often made congee for them too. I'd add stir fried minced meat (chicken, pork or beef) or fish and pureed vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin etc. I cooked the congee in water instead of chicken or vegetable stock as I preferred not to have too much sodium in their meals at such a young age. The natural flavoring from the meat and vegetables actually makes it very tasty. As they grew older, I added a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil for a little more flavor. 
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Even though the kids are much older now, we still enjoy having congee at meal times. These days, I get to be more adventurous with the ingredients, like adding dried scallops or dried oysters. If seafood allergy is not an issue, this is a great way to add flavor. It is a perfect one dish meal on a cold day, or for someone who may be a little under the weather, like another version of the Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chicken Congee
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Rice (rinsed and drained)
8 cups Chicken Stock
1 oz Ginger (skinned and sliced)
5 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Dried Scallops (optional)
2 pieces Chicken Breast
2 tbsp Shao Xing Cooking Wine
1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp Sesame Oil
Spring Onions
Fried Shallots
White Pepper Powder

Cooking Method
1. Put chicken stock, rice, ginger, garlic and Shao Xing cooking wine in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Once it is boiling, add chicken breast. Continue boiling for about 20 min or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken breast and continue boiling the rice in stock on med/low heat for another 20 min. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from burning at the bottom of the pot.
4. Shred chicken breast into thin strips and set aside.
5. Once congee is in a mushy state and you cannot see the grains of the rice clearly anymore, it is done. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.
6. Serve hot in a bowl, topped with the shredded chicken and garnish with spring onions and fried shallot. Add a dash of white pepper powder, if desired.