Serves4
- Active time:40 min
- Start to finish:5 1/4 hr
February 2000
Also known as jook, congee turns up in Chinese households morning, noon, and night. This thick rendition is made heartier with the addition of chicken.
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3 1/2 to 4-lb chicken, cut into serving pieces, including back and giblets (exclude liver)
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10
cups
water
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3
tablespoons
Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry
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3
(1/4-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger
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3
scallions, halved crosswise and smashed with flat side of a heavy knife
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1/2
teaspoon
salt
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1
cup
long-grain rice
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Bring chicken and water to a boil in a 5-quart heavy pot, skimming froth. Add wine, ginger, scallions, and salt and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until breast meat is just cooked through. Transfer 1 breast half with tongs to a bowl and continue to cook stock at a bare simmer, skimming froth as necessary, 2 hours and 40 minutes. Meanwhile, cool chicken breast long enough to remove skin and bones, returning skin and bones to stock.
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Cool breast meat completely and tear into shreds. Chill shreds, covered, and bring to room temperature before serving.
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Pour stock through a large sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. (You should have about 8 cups: if less, add water; if more, cook longer after adding rice.) Return stock to cleaned pot and add rice. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until consistency of oatmeal, about 1 3/4 hours, stirring frequently during last 1/2 hour of cooking. (Congee will continue to thicken as it stands. Thin with water if necessary.)
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Season congee with salt. Serve topped with chicken and accompaniments.
Cooks’ note: Stock can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Discard solidified fat.
