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I found out about congee in one of my favorite group chats...it's one of those traditional medicinal type foods. In true Nicole fashion, I cannot truly follow any recipe, so here's my version of congee...and then a few notes on how I turned it into Tom Kha soup, my favorite Thai dish.
Okay, so after learning and prepping the rice for congee, rice is NO longer a last minute dinner side dish. It needs rinsed, rinsed again, soaked, and rinsed again before it is cooked. I was appalled at how dirty the rice was. And yes, I've rinsed and soaked before, but never this diligently. Anyways, if you have enough bone broth/stock it tastes best cooked in a base of that. If we're having rice, it's a decision I make in the rising hours so it can be prepared properly as I mentioned.
Once it's been fully soaked and taken its final rinse, the gist of it is to cook it to death without it sticking to the pot. I do a full batch of bone broth (approx 8-10 cups) with 2cups Carolina Gold rice (Affiliate code: SATIATEDBLONDE) in a large pot (Affiliate code: SATIATEDBLONDE). Add a fat: butter, duck fat, lard, etc... and bring to a boil. Once it boils, let it simmer, for hours...at least three. Keeping an eye to make sure it doesn't get low on liquid and stirring occasionally to help prevent sticking. Throughout the time it's cooking I will add in things for flavor, fresh ginger root or ginger powder, also my favorite spice (oregano), and really whatever floats your boat. Since this is for Tom Khongee, I used ginger, some chiles for spice, and lemongrass.
If you have too much liquid, at the end of the three hours, you will have a soup. If you use just enough, it will all be perfectly absorbed. Either way, it's a win-win. Because this version is for soup, I added more bone broth, about 6 cups after the three hours and then added these to taste:
- a little more ginger
- a kaffir lime leaf
- a can of coconut milk (I always find the kind that says NO GUAR)
- a can of water chestnuts
- a can of bamboo shoots
- leftover, chopped chicken (faster to throw the meal together if already cooked)
- a dash of galangal
- a dash of lemongrass
- a few pinches of Icelandic Flake Salt (Affiliate code: SB10)
- drizzle in your favorite hot sauce
- topped with green onions--I am still growing some from the summer!
Et Voila: Tom Khongee. A house favorite. Also, we found out that congee freezes well (I like to store it in these bags) and makes a really great quick meal to complement other leftovers when we're in a pinch! We love how warm, rich, and nourishing it can be--even in its most basic version. Have you heard of congee before? Tell me in the comments. As always, #GetSatiated!
