1. Soaking: Soak the rice in cold water for half an hour before cooking. This allows the grains to expand. Benefits: ① Saves cooking time; ② The grains will swirl in one direction when stirred; ③ The resulting congee is soft and has a great texture.
2. Boiling water: It's a common belief to use cold water, but experts actually use boiling water. Why? You've probably had the experience of congee sticking to the bottom when cooked with cold water, right? This won't happen with boiling water, and it also saves more time than using cold water.
3. Heat control: First, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Don't underestimate the importance of adjusting the heat; that's how the aroma of the congee is released!
4. Stirring: We used to stir occasionally to prevent the congee from sticking. Now that we don't have to worry about that with boiling water, why stir? To achieve a thick consistency, making each grain plump and soft. The technique is: stir a few times when the water is boiling, then put the lid on. When it has been simmering for 20 minutes, start stirring continuously for about 10 minutes until the congee reaches a thick, soft consistency.
5. Adding oil: Add oil to congee? Yes, about 10 minutes after reducing the heat, add a little salad oil. You'll find that the final product is not only more colorful but also has a uniquely fresh and smooth texture.
6. Cooking base and toppings separately: Most people toss everything into the pot at once, but traditional congee shops don't. The congee base and the toppings are cooked separately. The base is cooked, and the toppings are blanched or cooked on their own. Then, they are combined and simmered together for no more than 10 minutes. This method results in a clear, non-cloudy congee where each ingredient's flavor is fully extracted without blending together. This is especially important when the toppings are meat or seafood.