Congee is Chinese rice porridge, which can be served plain, sweet, or savoury. It is actually pretty bland in flavour. When additional ingredients such as meat, fish, and flavourings are added while preparing the congee, which is most often served as a meal on its own, especially for persons who are ill.
To me, it is the ultimate Chinese comfort food, that my grandma and mom cook for us. Their recipes have fish brain, intestines’, Chinese donut stick pieces, minced pork, bean sprouts, and at times fried tofu.
I remembered grandma congee ingredients also have salted duck eggs, century eggs, preserved olive leaves, spring onions, black mushroom, dried shrimps, Chinese pickled vegetables, fish, fried oysters and scallops, fresh ginger sticks, fried shallots and poached chicken. Congee is served as breakfast, lunch and dinner in Malaysia. But even when I don’t feel sick, I still find it as satisfying meal.
“Preserved turnip, or “chai poh,” is a salted and sun-dried daikon radish used in East Asian cuisines for its salty flavour and crunchy texture in various dishes. It has sweet and savory types and should be soaked before use to minimize saltiness, enhancing egg omelets with its savoury kick.” My grandma and mom like using this with eggs.
Yesterday, I tried making preserved turnip eggs, and green beans and sliced pork. My congee this time is a bit thick as I tried using less liquid and must have cut chili. Let’s cook!!!
Ingredients
Preserved turnip eggs
3 Tbs oil
4 eggs
1/8 c preserved turnip, chopped
pepper
milk or water
Green beans and sliced pork
16 green beans, stems removed and cut about 1 -1 1/2 inches long
1 small strip of pork, sliced
1” fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs Shoa Xing, Chinese cooking wine
1/2 Tbs oyster sauce
1/2 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs oil
salt
pepper
Fish and minced pork congee
2-3 c cooked rice
1 ” fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 Tbs oyster sauce
1/2 Tbs soy sauce
6-10 prawn heads, fry with 1 Tbs oil and 1 Tsp minced garlic, once turned red, smashed and cook with 4 c water, salt and pepper to make stock
2 drumsticks plus 4 c water; 1 ” ginger, salt, black peppercorns and 4 garlic cloves to make stock
200-250 g minced pork
350 g white tail snapper, fillets
2 Tsp olive oil
1/2 Tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 Tsp minced garlic
1 Tsp Shaoxing wine
1 Tsp soy sauce
1/4 Tsp salt, and extra
1 Tsp pepper and extra
Garnish
preserved turnip eggs
green beans and sliced pork
cut fresh chili in soy sauce
dried shallots
Method
One day in advance (leftovers)
Preserved turnip eggs
Soak chopped preserved turnip in warm water for 5 minutes, squeeze out the water. Repeat twice to get rid of some saltiness. Stir fry in a hot, dry pan for 2 mins, set aside. Heat a saucepan with oil on medium heat. In a bowl beat the eggs until lightly fluffy with egg beater balloon or fork. Then add the stir fried preserved turnip. Remembering my grandma used to add milk; but she never uses any measurement. So, I tried with 2 Tbs milk first to see the outcomes. I searched google. (See note). Then mixing everything well.
Once the oil is hot; how to check if oil is hot: “inserting a wood chopstick to the oil, it should create mini bubbles rapidly.” Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan. Gently use a fork to move the eggs around by pulling the cooked eggs on the side to the middle. Stop when the eggs are not super runny anymore. Reduce heat to medium, and cook till the bottom is cooked. Flip half the egg over, then flip the top part back to the base of saucepan and cook until cooked well. Transfer to plate.
Green beans and sliced pork
Add sliced pork and marinade into a bowl and mix well, then cling wrap and refrigerate for later about 30 minutes. After time up, bring out pork to room temperature.
Heat 1 1/2 Tbs oil in cast iron pan until smoking. Add beans, spread out to cover base. Leave for 1 minute. Quick stir, spread out, cook for 30 seconds. Stir, then leave for 30 seconds, then repeat once more time until beans are charred but tender crisp, then removed to a plate.
Now reduce heat to medium heat, add 1 1/2 Tbs oil and let it heat up. Now add in garlic and ginger, cook for about 1 minute. Add pork and cook, for about 2-4 minutes until cooked through then add the marinade sauce. Cook for 30 seconds, now add back the green beans and stir for about 1 minute. Plate them up. You can serve it with rice. But today, I am serving it with my fish and minced pork congee.
The present day
Fish and minced pork congee
In the rice cooker, add cooked rice, two stocks (2 c each stock first), fresh ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce to pot and turn on rice cooker. Uncovered and stir occasionally for 45 minutes; to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom or until congee is smooth and no longer grainy and broken. Add remaining 2 c of each prawn or chicken stock.
In a bowl, combine minced pork, ginger, garlic, Shaoxing wine, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and oil. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator. When congee is nearly done; has the right consistency: creamy. Add minced pork to congee, breaking down minced pork, and simmer until minced pork is cooked, for about 10 minutes.
When congee is done, change setting to ‘keep warm’. Add fish fillets to rice cooker. Stir and cover for 5 minutes or until it is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While waiting for fish fillet in congee to cooked through. Spoon enough preserved turnip eggs into a plate and heat up in microwave about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Do the same for green beans and sliced pork; heat for 1 1/2-2 minutes in microwave. Wear glove and cut the fresh red chili: removed seeds and cut to tiny bit and drenched them in some soy sauce in a bowl.
To assemble
Once fish fillets done cooked. Spoon fish and minced pork congee into a bowl. Garnish with heated preserved turnip eggs, heated green beans and sliced pork. Then scatter the chili in soy sauce on top all around the bowl. Enjoy with a glass of white wine!!!
Note: Google: “Yes, you can add milk to beaten eggs before frying, but it’s optional and depends on the desired texture. Adding a small amount of milk can make eggs softer, fluffier, and creamier, especially for scrambled eggs. A good guideline is about 1 tablespoon of liquid per egg. Always remember to season your eggs to taste, whether you add a liquid or not. A tablespoon or two for a few eggs is often enough to achieve the desired results without making them watery. Cooking quickly over medium-high heat can help create fluffy curds without over-drying the eggs. For a richer, more custardy texture, cook over low to medium heat.”
#helenscchinrecipes
#mainmeals
#asianculinarycurrynoodles
#cookingforthefun
#foodiesplus
helenscchin's Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.