Century Egg Congee
chinesecongeecentury-eggrice-porridgeclassicbeginner

Century Egg Congee

This congee is soft, silky, and deeply comforting, with jasmine rice cooked down into a creamy porridge. Century egg brings a gentle mineral richness, while ginger, spring onion, soy, and sesame oil give the bowl a fragrant, savory finish.

55 min
2 servings
308 kcal
Chinese

Ingredients

Congee base

  • 120 gjasmine rice
  • 1.4 litreswater
  • 20 gfresh ginger, sliced
  • 4 gsalt

Toppings and seasoning

  • 2century eggs
  • 20 gspring onions, finely sliced
  • 10 mllight soy sauce
  • 5 mlsesame oil
  • 1 gwhite pepper

Instructions

  1. 1

    Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water 2-3 times until the water is only lightly cloudy. Drain well. Slice the ginger and finely slice the spring onions. Peel the century eggs and cut each into 6 wedges.

  2. 2

    In a medium pot, combine the rinsed rice, water, sliced ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once or twice so the rice does not catch on the bottom.

  3. 3

    As soon as it boils, lower to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes and scraping the base of the pot. The grains should break down and the porridge should look creamy and silky; if it becomes thicker than you like, add a splash of hot water.

  4. 4

    When the congee is soft and spoonable, remove the ginger slices if you prefer a smoother texture. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Taste and adjust the saltiness if needed.

  5. 5

    Ladle the hot congee into 2 bowls. Top evenly with the century egg wedges and sliced spring onions. Serve immediately while steaming hot.

Nutrition per serving

308 kcal
Calories
9g
Protein
40g
Carbs
11g
Fat
0g
Fiber

Notes

Background

Congee is one of China's oldest and most widespread comfort foods, with countless regional variations served from breakfast to late-night meals. Century egg congee is a classic Cantonese-style preparation, prized for the contrast between plain, silky rice porridge and the rich, savory depth of preserved egg.

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