Congee with Chinese Sausage

Congee — soft rice — is comfort food. Gentle on the stomach, it is frequently eaten for breakfast or served to invalids. Throughout the east, people will frequently have just a cup of tea on rising; later they will settle down to a bowl of congee or its regional equivalent.
Ingredients
  • 115g / 4oz / generous ½ cup long-grain rice
  • 25g / 1oz / 3 tbsp glutinous rice
  • 1.2 litres / 2 pints / 5 cups water
  • about 2.5ml / ½ tsp salt
  • 5ml / 1 tsp sesame oil
  • thin slice of fresh root ginger, peeled and bruised
  • 2 Chinese sausages
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten (optional) 
  • 2.5mI / ½ tsp light soy sauce
  • roasted peanuts, chopped, and thin shreds of spring onion, to garnish
Preparation
Step 1
Step 3
Step 4
  1. Wash both rices thoroughly. Drain and place in a large. pan. Add the water, bring to the boil and immediately reduce to the lowest heat, using a heat diffuser if you have one.
  2. Cook gently for 1¼-1½ hours, stirring from time to time. If the congee thickens too much, stir in a little boiling water. It should have the consistency of creamy pouring porridge.
  3. About 15 minutes before serving, add salt to taste and the sesame oil, together with the piece of ginger.
  4. Steam the Chinese sausages for about 10 minutes, then slice and stir into the congee. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Just before serving, remove the ginger and stir in the lightly beaten egg, if using. Serve hot, garnished with the peanuts and spring onions and topped with a drizzle of soy sauce.

VARIATION

If you prefer, use roast duck instead of Chinese sausages. Cut the cooked duck into bite-sized pieces and add once the rice is cooked. Congee is also popular with tea eggs.

Serves 2-3.

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