Chicken and Ginger Congee
Congee is a soup and a breakfast, lunch or dinner! This light Chinese variation is full-flavoured and nutritious. We love to add a fried or chopped boiled egg, and you can use up last night’s rice by adapting this recipe—simply add the rice and chicken to a saucepan and cover with water by a good 4 cm (1½ in). Bring slowly up to heat, add your seasonings, check the consistency and off you go. For adults, kimchi and chilli sauce are the perfect additions.
Ingredients 14
500 ml chicken stock, preferably preservative and additive free
1 l water
2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
2 cm pieces fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
200 g jasmine rice
400 g skinless boneless chicken thighs, diced into 1 cm (½ in) pieces
1⁄2 tsp sesame oil
500 ml water, to finish cooking the rice
3 tbsp light soy sauce, or to taste (omit for babies)
To Serve
fried eggs
spring onion, green parts only, thinly sliced
asian fried shallots, store-bought
white pepper, coarsely ground, just a tiny amount for babies
kimchi, omit for babies and for toddlers not ready for spice, check the label for allergens
chilli sauce, omit for babies and for toddlers not ready for spice
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Method 5
Bring the , , and 1L of to the boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer steadily for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally—to prevent the rice from catching—until it’s thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Add the and , plus remaining 500ml of water. Cover and simmer for 4–5 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked. Check the consistency at this point—it should be more soupy than ‘rice’. (Set younger or older baby’s serve aside now.)
Add the and heat through for a minute—add a little more if necessary and keep checking your seasoning for balance.
Serve the congee in bowls, topped with a and sprinkled with the sliced spring onion, fried shallots and white pepper. Add a little extra or , if desired. Add the kimchi and chilli sauce and serve.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Pam Brook's tips
For younger babies purée using a hand-held blender until smooth. You can also add a dollop of smooth, unsalted peanut butter, or some puréed hard-boiled egg. Allow to cool before serving.
For older babies purée the soup to a lumpy consistency and add a dollop of smooth, unsalted peanut butter and some chopped hard-boiled egg. Allow to cool before serving.
For toddlers serve as for adults, but allow to cool before serving.
