Homey congee of pork

Nothing comforts the heart half as much as a thick savory soup in a wet and chilly day. Some years ago, when I was a student, I was boarding with a family. They were a very energetic and loving family that made me very at home living with them. One day, when I came back from school, the whole family was resting in the dining dinner. The mother just had an operation. The others were down with a cold, or just too exhausted. After some thought, I decided to go to the kitchen and cook them a congee for dinner. A congee is a Chinese comfort food for kids, and for adults when they feel weak. The cooking took a while. By the time the congee was done, the household was teeming with life again. Everyone had been awakened by the aroma and the warmth. We had a lovely dinner together that night, filled with joy. Here is my congee recipe. If it is too simple to make any sense, I have a detailed one below the picture.

Simple Recipe of Pork congee with preserved duck egg (for 2)

Ingredients:

- 3 quart water

- 2 pieces of pork chop

- 1/2 cup jasmine rice

- 1 preserved duck egg (the black type), chopped

- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

- 1 cup mixed sweet peas and sweet corns (frozen)

- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce (or dash of salt)

- dash of pepper

- 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions

Procedure:

Boil pork chop in water until fully cooked. Add rice and chopped egg. Let boil for 1 hour on med-high heat, followed by 1 hour on low heat, or until the rice is half dissolved. Stir to prevent sticking. Break pork chop to fine pieces and return to pot. Add sweet peas and sweet corns and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with spring onion, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper.

A detailed recipe: Congee of pork and preserved duck egg (for 2)


Ingredients:
- 3 quart water
- 2 pieces of pork ribs 
- some bones (optional)
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice
- 1 preserved duck egg (the black type)
- 1/2 tablespoon dried shrimps
- small dumplings or fish balls (optional)
- 1/3 cup sweet corn ears (fresh or defrosted)
- 1/4 cup sweet peas (fresh or defrosted)
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce (or dash of salt)
- dash of pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions

Procedure:

First, the preparation

• Boil pork ribs (and bones if any) in 2 quart of water for 45 minutes or until the meat is almost detached from the bone. Skim fat and de-bone the ribs. Save stock and meat for use. When de-boning the ribs, try to keep the meat in big chunks if possible, so that more tenderness of the meat is preserved to the end of cooking. 
• Meanwhile soak jasmine rice with a little cold water and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (and a dash of salt, if desired). This soaking helps brings out the aroma of the rice.

Second, to cook the congee

• When the stock is boiling, add the soaked rice, one shelled preserved duck egg, dried shrimps and de-boned meat. Keep the stock boiling on medium high heat for 1/2 hour, so that the water circulation in the pot prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom.
  
• Turn down the heat to low and let cook for 1 hour or more. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Whenever the congee thickens too much, add 1/2 quart of water, stir and keep it boiling. Repeat adding water if necessary. 
  
• The most tricky part of cooking congee is to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. If this happens at any point of cooking, just stir to help loosen the rice. Alternatively, to avoid sticking altogether, cook the congee in slow cooker on high for 4 hours. The rice needs to be half-dissolved to qualify as done.

Third, at serving time

• 15 minutes before serving, small dumplings or fish balls (if any), turn to medium high heat, and stir often to prevent sticking. (If congee is cooked in slow cooker, boil the dumplings and fish balls and add to the congee.)
  
• 5 minutes before serving, add sweet corns and sweet peas. If the meat in the congee is still in big chunks, break them gently. 
  
• Serve in bowls. Add finely chopped spring onions, sesame oil and soy sauce on top. Sprinkle with pepper.