Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh (2024)

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Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh (1)
I’ll bet you that the vast majority of my readers have never tried making congee, let along a vegetarian congee recipe. Maybe you’ve had it in Chinese restaurants (where it’s often called porridge), maybe you’ve had it at a friend’s house, but have you ever made it yourself?

Now that cold and flu season has set in, it’s time to start hunting down comforting soup recipes. Besides the requisite chicken soup that we all need in our cooking arsenal, there’s another kind of dish that will cure what ails you when you’ve contracted the creeping crud: congee. For those not in the know, congee, also known as jook, is a creamy rice porridge that’s a staple in Asian cultures. Consisting of rice that’s been slowly cooked down to the point that the starches disintegrate into a bowl creamy goodness — think risotto, only cooked longer — congee is warm and easy to digest. Plus congee recipes are gluten free by default, can be make either vegan or vegetarian, and keep well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh (2)

Congee can be eaten sweet for breakfast, but more traditional recipes add in any number of savory ingredients, such as chicken, mushrooms, onions, and egg. Simpler, blander congee recipes can be fed to infants, used as a cold/curative curative, and won’t upset your stomach further when you’ve eaten something that doesn’t agree with you. Overall, congee might be the perfect food when you need a comforting dish that’s easy on your digestive system.

A basic congee recipe is easy to make at home. I like adding a tablespoon of butter or olive oil with just a sprinkling of curry powder, or else I make a more elaborate chicken congee recipe for those days when I want something meaty. The recipe below is perfect for when you’re not feeling well and find yourself craving a dish that’s warm, nourishing, and easy to prepare.

Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh (3)

My Vegetarian Congee Recipe, the Perfect Cold Season Soup

This vegetarian congee recipe is soothing and creamy, with no meat or dairy. It's perfect for when you're sick, or need something easily on the stomach. Serves two as a meal, four as a side.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Stephanie Stiavetti

Ingredients

  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup short-grain or glutinous rice (which is gluten-free, by the way)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 to 8 cups hot water
  • One 2-inch knob of ginger peeled and diced
  • 1 large carrot peeled and finely diced
  • 1 small head of bok choy chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
  • 1 whole green onion finely chopped, for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon sauteed garlic for garnish

Instructions

  • Soak mushrooms in enough hot water to cover them. Once they are soft, discard water, drain mushrooms and remove the stems. Chop coarsely and set aside.

  • Rinse rice once and set aside.

  • In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Once the broth is boiling, add rice and 4 cups of hot water. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to very low, allowing to gently simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as necessary to create a creamy consistency.

  • After 30 minutes, add mushrooms, ginger, carrots, and bok choy. Let cook for another 60 minutes, continuing to add hot water and stir occasionally. You’ll need to stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every few minutes to keep the soup from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot.

  • Once you’ve got a nice, creamy consistency and most of the rice grains have melted away into the broth, salt to taste. Serve hot in individual bowls, garnished with chopped green onions and sauteed garlic.

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 2179mg | Potassium: 641mg | Fiber: 6g | Vitamin A: 9800IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4.5mg

This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.

If you like this vegetarian congee recipe, check out these other dishes:

Part of this post appeared on Bay Area Bites.

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Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh (2024)

FAQs

Soothing Vegetarian Congee Recipe - Fearless Fresh? ›

The mark of a good bowl of Cantonese-style congee is the silky-smooth texture of the porridge. Beancurd skin is the secret ingredient to ensuring the texture of each bowl of congee comes out right. Adding the beancurd skin helps to make the rice grains mushy, and thus easier to cook down to a smooth consistency.

What is the secret to silky congee? ›

The mark of a good bowl of Cantonese-style congee is the silky-smooth texture of the porridge. Beancurd skin is the secret ingredient to ensuring the texture of each bowl of congee comes out right. Adding the beancurd skin helps to make the rice grains mushy, and thus easier to cook down to a smooth consistency.

Is congee good for inflammation? ›

Congee is an anti-inflammatory, gut healing powerhouse made of rice and bone broth. It is also a rich source of collagen, a key player in promoting gut health, skin elasticity, and easing joint pain and inflammation.

Why is congee good when you're sick? ›

Congee has a history as a famine food — rice stretched to last with the addition of extra water — and, more commonly nowadays, the ideal sick dish. Low-effort and gentle on the stomach, it's embraced as a go-to for belly aches, colds, or days of general discomfort.

How do you fix a bland congee? ›

To give additional flavor to the soup, incorporate scallions, sh*take mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Adding any vegetables you might have in the fridge boosts the nutritional value significantly, since congee itself is not vitamin-packed.

How do you increase the texture of porridge? ›

Oats are naturally high in fibre, making them very absorbent, therefore the longer we leave them to rest, the thicker and creamier they get. Our simple trick when it comes to actually making the porridge is to add the water, stir for 30 seconds, then leave it to rest for 30 seconds before you tuck in and enjoy.

How to make congee more tasty? ›

Simmer the congee for about 1 hour or until the congee is thickened and creamy. Add salt to taste. Serve the congee hot with scallions, sesame seed oil, and soy sauce.

Why is congee so healthy? ›

One particular benefit is hydration, due to the amount of water absorbed by the rice grains throughout the cooking process. Chicken stock or bone broth, which is the second key ingredient for congee, is also hydrating and provides a rich source of collagen.

How do you make porridge taste nice? ›

Banish breakfast boredom with our porridge variations.
  1. Banana, raisins and a sprinkle of nutmeg. ...
  2. Strawberries and blueberries. ...
  3. Cherry and chia seeds. ...
  4. Banana, raspberry, almond butter and cinnamon. ...
  5. Flaked almonds and chopped dates. ...
  6. Walnuts, pear slices and ginger. ...
  7. Peaches and raspberries. ...
  8. Stewed plums.

Is it OK to eat congee every day? ›

Rich in flavour and filled with the goodness of nutrients, rice congee is the perfect dish to have daily for anyone, especially children who are picky eaters. Introduce your fussy baby to a warm bowl of rice congee topped with the things they love. The delicious dish is also beneficial for your overall well-being.

Is congee a laxative? ›

Congee really does eliminate constipation. It helps with elimination unbelievably. It softens the fiber so that it's really actually very soothing and moves through your whole digestive system really easily.

What is the difference between congee and porridge? ›

Congee (/ˈkɒndʒiː/, derived from Tamil கஞ்சி [kaɲdʑi]) is a form of savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice softens. Depending on rice-water ratio, the thickness of congee varies from a Western oatmeal porridge to a gruel.

What is the difference between congee and jook? ›

So, congee is a type of rice porridge, but not all rice porridge is congee-like the way all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Jook gets a step more specific: It's the English translation of the Cantonese name for rice porridge.

Why is congee so comforting? ›

Congee is considered a soothing meal because it is a warm and comforting dish that is easy to digest. It is made with rice that has been cooked until it has broken down into a porridge-like consistency, and is usually served with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meat, and herbs.

Can congee help you lose weight? ›

Congee is considered in TCM as a must-have breakfast dish. By jump-starting the digestive system congee injects the nutrients right where they are needed and naturally heals by nurturing the digestive system to maximise it's function. If you need to lose or gain weight congee can help.

Why is my porridge not smooth? ›

The type of oats you choose is really down to personal preference. Jumbo or rolled oats will result in a really chunky texture, but those labelled as 'porridge oats' will generally contain medium-ground oatmeal, which results in a fine, smooth texture.

How do you add texture to porridge? ›

Walnuts, pear slices and ginger

If you like a crunchy texture the pear and walnuts will add this, while sprinkling on a little ground ginger provides some spicy warmth.

Why is my congee not creamy? ›

Once the congee is done, turn off the heat and put a lid on it and let it 'steam' for 20 minutes. This will thicken the congee a bit more. After 20 minutes, whisk the congee with a whisk or chopsticks quickly for 3-4 minutes to break up the rice grains so that the congee will be more creamy, and silky.

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