Congee

Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain white rice or broken rice
• 6 cups unsalted chicken stock or broth or water, or a combination
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Hide ingredients for Thinly sliced green onion or Crispy Fried Shallots 1 Thinly sliced green onion or Crispy Fried Shallots (opens in new tab) Thinly sliced green onion or Crispy Fried Shallots
  • 1 inch vegetable oil
  • 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings
  • ½ cup cornstarch or flour
  • Salt
  • (Curry powder)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Heat to 325°F in a small heavy saucepan: 1 inch vegetable oil
  2. Toss together in a bowl: 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings; ½ cup cornstarch or flour
  3. Separate the shallot rings as you toss them. Fry the shallots in several batches until golden. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels and immediately sprinkle to taste with: Salt; (Curry powder)
  4. Once cool, they will keep for a month at room temperature in a tightly covered container, although they are best when used immediately.
• A drizzle of toasted sesame oil and/or soy sauce
• Chopped roasted peanuts
• Diced pickled mustard greens
• Sliced cooked Chinese sausage or diced cooked chicken
• Hide ingredients for Soft-Boiled, Poached, or Fried Eggs 1 Soft-Boiled, Poached, or Fried Eggs (opens in new tab) Soft-Boiled, Poached, or Fried Eggs
  • Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  • Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the number of eggs you plan to cook. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and use a slotted spoon to gently place in the water: Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  2. Time the eggs from the moment they go into the water and maintain a simmer throughout. Large eggs will take 5 minutes, and extra-large or jumbo eggs will take 5 ½ minutes (small and medium eggs will take 4 ½ minutes). For room temperature eggs, subtract 1 minute from these cooking times.
  3. To serve a soft-boiled egg in an eggcup, place the egg in wide end down. Use a table knife or teaspoon to crack off the top third of the shell, season with salt and pepper, and serve with strips of toast, or “soldiers.” Alternatively, spoon the egg out of the shell, using a napkin to protect your hand from the heat, and serve in a small bowl.
  4. STEAM METHOD
  5. Have ready: Unshelled eggs, from the refrigerator
  6. If using a steamer insert, gently place the eggs inside, bring 1 ½ inches of water to a rapid boil in a pot, and fit the insert onto the pot. If using a steamer basket, place it inside the pot, bring the water to a boil, and gently place the eggs in the basket with long-handled tongs. Cover immediately and steam the eggs 5 minutes on high heat for large eggs. Remove from the heat and serve as for I above.
• Hide ingredients for Thai fried chili paste (use sparingly!), or Spicy Chinese Chile Crisp 1 Thai fried chili paste (use sparingly!), or Spicy Chinese Chile Crisp (opens in new tab) Thai fried chili paste (use sparingly!), or Spicy Chinese Chile Crisp
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 ounces shallots (3 to 4 large), thinly sliced
  • 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 ¼ ounces dried red chiles (such as árbol), toasted, stemmed, seeded, and broken into pieces (or ½ cup red pepper flakes)
  • ¼ cup roasted peanuts or soy nuts
  • 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
  • (2 tablespoons Sichuan chili bean paste)
  • (2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp or anchovies)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt, MSG, or mushroom seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon sugar

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Combine in a large saucepan: 1 cup vegetable oil; 6 ounces shallots (3 to 4 large), thinly sliced; 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 ¼ ounces dried red chiles (such as árbol), toasted, stemmed, seeded, and broken into pieces (or ½ cup red pepper flakes); ¼ cup roasted peanuts or soy nuts; 2 tablespoons fermented black beans; (2 tablespoons Sichuan chili bean paste); (2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp or anchovies)
  2. Heat over medium heat until just beginning to simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a lazy bubble. Cook until the shallots have softened and shrunk and the whole mixture has darkened somewhat and become very fragrant, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in: 1 ½ teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon salt, MSG, or mushroom seasoning; ½ teaspoon sugar
  3. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse until ground into a chunky paste (about 3 long pulses). Transfer to a glass jar or container. Store refrigerated.