OK wow ! Up until recently, maybe because of its beige”ness” and imagined mush factor, I had not been tempted to try Congee. Well, I had it all wrong ! This is an ultimate comfort food hailing from many Asian countries.
Essentially a savoury rice porridge, Congee can basically be just rice and water, cooked until the rice is silky smooth, then topped with a variety of chosen ingredients. The sharp pop from the pickled celery here is delightful, but the possibilities to make this your own are endless ! The recipe (thank you Meera Sodha) that inspired me to take the leap is actually vegan. Even more surprising for me as for anything brothy I usually go for a bone based broth. The depth of flavour in this recipe is savoury and satisfying. Officially added to the winter rotation !
Congee with celery and mushrooms
- 420g celery
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 6 tbsp mirin
- 20g dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp (30g) white miso paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 250g fresh button or oyster mushrooms, sliced or torn
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced, whites and greens separated
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- 2cm x 2cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 150g jasmine rice
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- Shop-bought or homemade fried onions or shallots, to finish (optional)
First prepare the pickle. Finely slice a third of the celery, pop it in a small bowl with the rice vinegar and two tablespoons of mirin, stir and put to one side. Chop the remaining celery stalks into small, ½cm dice and set aside.
Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof measuring jug, pour over 750ml just-boiled water and set aside while you prepare all the other ingredients. When the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, squeeze out any water and put them to one side. Carefully and slowly pour the mushroom stock into another jug, leaving behind any grit at the bottom of the first jug, then stir in the miso and two tablespoons of mirin.
Put the oil in a large pan on a medium heat and, when it’s hot, add the fresh mushrooms and stir-fry until nicely browned, remove and put aside. Add a bit more oil then the onion, spring onion whites, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring so it doesn’t colour, for four minutes. Add the diced celery and ginger, fry for five minutes, again stirring, then add the rice, mushroom stock and another 600ml water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum, if you wish, then pop on a lid, cocked, and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
While the congee is simmering, make the braised mushrooms. Slice the drained soaked mushrooms, then put them in a small saucepan with the soy sauce and the remaining two tablespoons of mirin. Bring slowly to a boil on a low heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the liquid glazes the mushrooms and there’s no liquid left at the bottom of the pan. Combine this with the sautéed mushrooms.
Ladle the congee into individual bowls, layer on a quarter of the braised mushrooms, a little celery pickle, the reserved spring onions greens and fried onions, if using, and serve hot.
Recipe slightly adapted from Meera Sodha’s recipe.
The original recipe can be found at The Guardian.
Bon Appétit !
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