The Qing dynasty gastronome Yuan Mei once said, "If you see the rice but not the water, it is not congee; if you see the water but not the rice, it is not congee; only when the water and rice are blended into a single, soft, and cohesive substance can it then be called congee." Every word of this saying eloquently articulates the true essence of congee.
Selecting the Rice: Newly harvested, once-a-year rice
The best rice for congee is one that is harvested only once a year. The reasoning is simple: rice harvested annually contains the quintessence of nature and heaven. This type of rice is best chosen when it is new, as new rice has a more fragrant aroma. Most pre-washed rice sold on the market has been polished. The essence of the rice lies in its bran layer, and after polishing, much of this essence is lost. Therefore, it is best not to use this type of rice for congee.
Rinsing the Rice: Free of floating dust and impurities
When rinsing the rice, simply use your hand to gently agitate the grains, allowing the impurities to be released, then pour away the rinsing water. Do not scrub the grains vigorously, otherwise the essence of the rice will be lost.
Marinating the Rice: Letting the white rice "surrender its defenses"
After the rice is rinsed clean, add an appropriate amount of oil and salt (peanut oil or salad oil will do) and mix well. Marinate for 30 minutes. This is because oil's ability to absorb energy is much greater than water's. When the rice grains are coated in oil, the oiled parts can gather a great deal of heat energy in a short time, far exceeding the temperature of the water. This allows the grains to "blossom" quickly once they are put in the pot, which is the most crucial "secret" to making congee. At the same time, marinating the rice with oil and salt makes the resulting congee more fragrant and smooth.
Plain Congee
Simmering: Adding rice to boiling water
The water for cooking congee should be boiling hot. The simmering process must be continuous for 90 minutes, without stopping the fire or adding water, so the water must be added all at once. (The ratio of rice to water is approximately 1:30).
Heat Control: Between a gentle and a strong flame
When bringing the congee to a boil, the higher the heat, the better, as this makes it easier for the rice grains to "blossom." However, once the congee is boiling, the heat should be adjusted to a level between a gentle and a strong flame, maintaining a state where the congee is bubbling but not overflowing. If the heat is too high, the layer of "rice cream" on top will scorch and turn yellow. If the heat is too low, the congee will not "gelatinize." At this point, there must be uniform, gentle, yet sufficiently forceful collisions and friction between the grains, between the grains and the water, and between the grains and the pot wall. The rice grains will gelatinize little by little, the congee soup will gradually thicken, and the fragrance of the rice will slowly infuse.
And so, a bowl of mellow, smooth, and fragrant plain congee is born. The plain congee can be eaten directly or used as the base for "sheng gong zhou" (freshly boiled congee).
Plain Congee