The Cantonese call it ‘chok’, the Hokkien call it ‘moey’ and the Teowchew call it ‘ber’. Congee is a mushier version of porridge, I believe? Porridge to us Chinese means rice cooked with lots of water. But to the Westerners it can be millet porridge, oat porridge and so many other type of cereals.
Most of our babies start their solids with rice porridge, i.e. rice cooked with potatoes and carrots till mush. With so many babies, I had been cooking porridges like eons ago and hence, dislike eating porridges if I can help it.
However, there is one type of congee that I absolutely love. It is the century egg congee or pheitan chok in Cantonese. If I go to dimsum restaurants, I must have a hot bowl of this with lots of ginger and spring onion.
It is very easy to cook it at home, really. Here’s the recipe I used and cooked in the slowcooker (crockpot). I merely dump the things inside before I go to sleep and wake up to the most heavenly smell when I stepped out of my bedroom and into the kitchen.
Recipe for pheitan chok/century egg congee (serves at least five persons)
One handful of glutinous rice (soak for a while with hot water)
One cup of normal rice
Two chicken thighs – Remove the meat, keep the bones for simmering
One century egg – Dice
One salted egg – Boiled and dice
Optional – Two dried scallops
Salt and pepper
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Dump everything into the crock pot except the chicken meats. Put enough water. Like 5 cups or more.
As for the chicken meat, cut them into slices or cubes, whichever doesn’t matter. Season the meat with soya sauce, sesame oil, some Chinese cooking wine, pepper and a bit of cornflour. Keep this boneless chicken meat in the refrigerator, covered.
The next morning, just put in the chicken meat and turn off heat when the meats are cooked. Adjust the consistency of the porridge. Add more water if necessary.
Serve by sprinkling with cut spring onions and young gingers. If you like boil an extra salted duck’s egg and cut into small pieces to sprinkle on the porridge. Yummy treat for breakfast! The homecooked version is not oily at all, i.e. if you remove the chicken skin and any visible fats.
why do we need to put glutinous rice??
this recipe can serve 5 person? one very small bowl each izit?
oh another thing…salted egg and century egg…are they taboo for pregnant ladies?
sooi2 – If once ina while, ok gua….A few of us pregnant moms did talked about it. I did eat a bit, can’t resist when come with lorbak and ginger. 1 cup of rice makes a lot of porridge wor. Porridge = three times of rice bulk.
krysty – The glutinous rice or sticky rice is to make it more lemak and smoother. Try it! But it takes longer to cook though.
Lillian,
I will try this. My kiddies just loves chok. When I was still working, sometimes we would cook some chok in the office. Eat of us will contribute some of the ingredients. Yummy……
eh just wonder rite? the chicken thigh is it marinate when it’s raw or cook? since u didn’t mention so a bit curious 😀
priscilla – Marinate when it is raw and leave aside until the porridge is almost ready. Then, only add it in so that the meat is still tasty. If we boil the meat too long, it will be tasteless.
flower – That’s a nice idea, potluck porridge. Hahaha.
Waiting to smell you pumpkin curry.
First time I’m hearing pulut mixed with rice kinda porridge 🙂
Early in the morning, go to market, get some yau char kuey and snip a couple of pieces onto the porridge. Gives a new dimension to it! Slurp!
yeah a great and simple yet delicious meal !
I usually take this when i avoid spicy food.
[…] Spare Ribs? and whatnot. I got my fair share of course. But what I ordered was Century Egg Congee and Sharksfin Siomai. And yes, I do love this stuff. (I would’ve taken pictures but I’m […]