Congee with Pork and Century Egg (皮蛋瘦肉粥)

Recipes by Ariana

A childhood favorite and a Chinese classic. Ten times better than takeout and cooks in 45 minutes or less, this congee is comfort in a bowl!

Congee is hands down my ultimate comfort food. Growing up, it was my family’s default food answer to most problems. Got a stomach ache? Have some congee. Don’t have an appetite? Have some congee. Feeling down? Have some congee. You get the point. Congee has been a big part of my life and I want to show you how to make it.

Even though this savory congee is typically eaten at breakfast, I honestly think there is no bad time for a bowl of this stuff. I mean, why would you not want a big warm, flavorful hug all the time?

Different regions in China make their congees a little differently. This particular recipe with pork and century eggs, which is just a cool way of saying preserved duck eggs, is a Cantonese classic and the one I have eaten the most growing up. The preserved duck eggs are like a funky cheese with a gelatinous texture. I know that doesn’t sound super appetizing, but they just work in this dish and you get none of the funk.

Congee with Pork and Century Egg (皮蛋瘦肉粥)

A childhood favorite and a Chinese classic. Ten times better than takeout and cooks in 45 minutes or less, this congee is comfort in a bowl.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lean pork, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 2 preserved duck eggs (AKA century eggs), quartered
  • 3½ quarts water
  • 2 stalks scallion, thinly sliced on a bias
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 3 teaspoons soy sauce
  • White pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Step 1. Stir together the soy sauce and corn starch to make a slurry. Then, thoroughly mix it in with the pork slices and marinate for 30 minutes.
  • Step 2. Combine the rice and water into a large pot and bring it to a boil. This takes about 10 minutes.
  • Step 3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on, but not fully covered. Stir once every 10 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Step 4. Add the century eggs, stir and continue to let the congee simmer for two minutes. Then, add the marinated pork and let it simmer for another three minutes.
  • Step 5. Top individual servings of the congee with some white pepper and scallions. Serve immediately.

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