The Ultimate Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge/Jook/粥) Recipe

I present a silk-smooth, spoonable congee that turns humble rice into a quiet, addictive marvel that makes every simple topping sing.

And I am obsessed with the texture and honesty of congee, the rice melting into soulful silk that somehow sings with tiny bright hits of freshness. I love how jasmine rice goes blank-slate creamy while thin slices of fresh ginger cut through, fragrant and awake.

It’s simple but never boring; layers of savory, soft, slightly nutty rice and a whisper of pepper at the end. I eat it sloppy, with toppings piled high, in the middle of the night, for breakfast, when sick or when celebrating a quiet morning.

Pure, essential, impossible not to crave. Bring me another goddamn bowl.

Ingredients

• Jasmine rice, soft creamy base, fragrant and comforting.
• Chicken stock or water, adds body and warms the soul.
• Pork bones or bone-in chicken, gives collagen and deep broth.
• Ginger, bright bite and warmth, cuts richness.
• Garlic, subtle savory pop if you want it.
• Sea salt, brings out everything, use sparingly.
• Ground white pepper, peppery warmth, classic congee touch.
• Scallions, white for cooking, green for freshness on top.
• Light soy sauce, salty umami, darkens the flavor a bit.
• Sesame oil, nutty finish, use just a little.
• Shallots for frying, crispy, super addictive topping.
• Century eggs, creamy, funky, not for everyone.
• Salted duck eggs, rich yolks, salty comfort.
• Dried scallops or shrimp, intense seafood notes, a little goes far.
• Roasted or salted peanuts, crunch and old-school charm.
• Pickled mustard greens or zhacai, tangy, cuts through richness.
• Cilantro, fresh herbal lift, use sparingly.
• White pepper for serving, you’ll want extra heat option.
• Soy sauce at table, lets people season to taste.
• Youtiao, crispy fried dough sticks, perfect for dunking.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 10 cups low sodium chicken stock or water, or a mix of both
• 1 pound pork bones or bone in chicken thighs, blanched if you want less scum
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed optional
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper, plus extra for serving
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced for frying as a topping
• 2 century eggs, peeled and quartered optional
• 2 salted duck eggs, peeled and quartered optional
• 1/2 cup dried scallops or dried shrimp, soaked and shredded optional
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts or salted peanuts, optional
• 1/4 cup pickled mustard greens or zhacai, chopped optional
• Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
• White pepper and soy sauce for adjusting seasoning at the table
• Youtiao or crispy fried dough sticks, sliced for serving optional

How to Make this

1. Rinse 1 cup jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then drain and set aside.

2. If using pork bones or bone in chicken thighs, blanch them in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes to remove scum, drain and rinse; this makes a cleaner broth. Put 10 cups low sodium chicken stock or water (or a mix) into a large pot and add the blanched bones or chicken.

3. Add 1 inch sliced fresh ginger, 2 smashed garlic cloves if you like, bring to a simmer, then lower heat and cook gently for 30 minutes to extract flavor. Skim any foam as needed.

4. Add the rinsed rice, 1 teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1 to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (start low, you can adjust later). Simmer very gently, stirring occasionally so rice doesn’t stick, until rice breaks down and porridge becomes creamy, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If it gets too thick, add hot water or stock to loosen.

5. While congee cooks, soak 1/2 cup dried scallops or dried shrimp in warm water until soft, then shred; set aside. Thinly slice 2 shallots for frying, and fry in oil until golden and crisp; drain on paper towel.

6. If using century eggs or salted duck eggs, peel and quarter them now so they’re ready for serving. Roast or use 1/3 cup roasted or salted peanuts as desired. Chop 1/4 cup pickled mustard greens or zhacai.

7. When congee is silky and rice has mostly disintegrated, fish out bones if used and shred any cooked chicken meat back into the pot. Stir in 2 tablespoons light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, taste and adjust salt and white pepper.

8. Stir in the white parts of 2 scallions, keep the green parts for garnish. Fold in shredded dried scallops/shrimp if using so their flavor infuses for a few minutes.

9. Serve piping hot in bowls. Top each bowl with fried shallots, green scallion slices, century egg quarters or salted egg quarters if using, peanuts, chopped pickled mustard greens, and fresh cilantro leaves. Slice youtiao and serve on the side for dunking.

10. At the table let people adjust seasoning with extra white pepper and soy sauce. Congee thickens as it cools so add hot stock or water if you want a looser consistency when reheating. Enjoy, and don’t be afraid to make it your own with the toppings.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy pot (6 to 8 quarts) for simmering the congee, you’ll need even heat and room to stir.
2. Fine mesh sieve or colander for rinsing rice and draining blanched bones.
3. Measuring cups and spoons to dose rice, stock, salt and pepper.
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for ginger, shallots, scallions and eggs.
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir gently so the rice doesnt stick.
6. Ladle for serving and for adding hot stock as you loosen the porridge.
7. Small frying pan for crisping the shallots and toasting peanuts if you want.
8. Small bowls or ramekins to soak dried scallops/shrimp and to hold toppings while you cook.

FAQ

The Ultimate Congee (Chinese Rice Porridge/Jook/粥) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Jasmine rice: substitute with short grain sushi rice for a creamier, stickier congee; or use broken rice if you want quicker breakdown and a silkier texture.
• Low sodium chicken stock or water: use vegetable stock for a veg-friendly congee; or mushroom broth (reconstituted dried shiitake plus water) for a deep umami flavor.
• Pork bones or bone in chicken thighs: swap for a leftover chicken carcass or turkey wings to get rich collagen; or use store bought pork neck bones if you prefer pork but cant get the ones listed.
• Dried scallops or dried shrimp: replace with diced shiitake mushrooms for savory depth and texture; or use canned crab or fresh shrimp if you want real seafood flavor but quicker prep.

Pro Tips

1) Start early and be patient. Low heat and time are what make congee silky, so keep it at a bare simmer and stir every 10 to 15 minutes at first to stop rice from sticking. If it looks like it’s clumping, add a little hot stock or water, not cold water, or the temperature will drop and cooking slows.

2) Layer flavor, not salt. Blanch bones or thighs, brown a few shallots before frying them for topping, and add shredded dried scallops or shrimp near the end so they keep their umami. Use light soy sauce and sesame oil at the end to round things out, then finish seasoning at the table with extra soy or white pepper. That way you won’t over-salt the whole pot.

3) Texture matters as much as taste. If you like it super creamy, simmer longer and break the rice grains with a spoon occasionally. If you want looser congee, keep extra hot stock on hand and add it a ladle at a time while stirring. For contrasting bites, crisp the shallots well and toast the peanuts just before serving.

4) Prep toppings ahead but finish close to serving. Peel and quarter century or salted eggs, soak and shred dried scallops, and slice youtiao earlier, but fry the shallots and slice green scallion tops right before you serve so they’re bright and crunchy. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of hot stock, since congee thickens as it cools.