Congee (Jook)
Photo: Daiju Azuma · CC BY-SA 2.5

History

Cantonese congee (juk) cooks long-grain rice in a 1-to-10 ratio with water until the grains dissolve, a porridge format dating to the Han dynasty. Hong Kong's overnight congee tradition emerged with the cha chaan teng in the 1950s; Australia Dairy Company's century egg congee has been a Jordan landmark since 1970. Tasty Congee and Noodle Wantun Shop holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Common allergens: Fish, Egg, Soy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 200g long-grain jasmine rice
  • 2L chicken or pork stock (plus water as needed)
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger, sliced into fine matchsticks
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • For century egg and pork topping: 2 century eggs (pi dan), peeled and quartered
  • 200g lean pork, salted overnight, sliced thinly
  • For fish topping (alternative): 200g grass carp or sea bass fillet, sliced paper-thin
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • White pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • To serve: 4 spring onions sliced thin, 1 small bunch coriander, 1 thumb ginger julienned, fried wonton wrappers (or thin tortilla strips crisped in oil), chilli oil, sesame oil

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain, then toss with 1 tbsp neutral oil and a pinch of salt; this is the chef's congee trick to break the grains faster.
  2. Bring 2L stock to a rolling boil in a deep heavy pot. Add the rice and ginger matchsticks.
  3. Reduce to a steady simmer. Stir every 10 minutes to prevent sticking. Cook 60 to 90 minutes until the grains have collapsed into a silky cream.
  4. If the congee thickens too much, add hot water 50ml at a time; aim for the consistency of single cream.
  5. Salt the pork strips lightly; stir into the congee for the last 5 minutes (it cooks in the residual heat).
  6. Quarter the century eggs and add to the pot off the heat to warm 1 minute.
  7. Ladle into deep bowls. Top with spring onion, coriander, julienned ginger, fried wonton strips, a drop of sesame oil, and a few drops of chilli oil.
  8. Each diner stirs the toppings through; the textural contrast is half the point.

Tip from the editors. Toss raw rice with oil and salt before cooking; this Cantonese trick breaks down the starch faster and gives the silky 'flowering' congee texture in 90 minutes instead of 3 hours.

Where to eat congee (jook)

Congee (Jook) in Hong Kong

Australia Dairy Company ★ 4.2

$$ CantoneseYau Ma TeiUntil Daily until 23:00 (closed Thu)Cash only

Australia Dairy Company on Parkes Street in Jordan trades until 23:00, the Hong Kong cha chaan teng for late dinner scrambled eggs on toast and steam milk.

OrderScrambled eggs on buttered toast with hot milk pudding.

TipClosed Thursdays; on other late nights, order before you sit, eat fast, leave fast.

Directions

Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop ★ 4.2

$$ CantoneseTsim Sha Tsui

Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop inside Elements mall is the Michelin Bib Gourmand 1946 era Cantonese counter for shrimp wonton noodles and prawn congee.

OrderFresh shrimp wonton noodles in superior broth.

TipThey do not take reservations; arrive before 12:00 to skip the office tower queue.

Directions

Mido Cafe ★ 4.2

$$ CantoneseYau Ma Tei

Mido Cafe on Temple Street is a 1950 cha chaan teng with original wood booths and a tiled mezzanine, surviving as a daily cha chaan teng among tourist stalls.

Why locals goOriginal 1950 wood booths and tile work on the corner of Temple Street, a film set you can sit in for the price of milk tea.

TipClimb to the upstairs window seat for the Temple Street view; weekday afternoons are calm.

Directions

For Kee Restaurant ★ 4.0

$$ CantoneseSheung Wan

For Kee Restaurant is a cantonese room in Sheung Wan. The pork chop in tomato sauce is the headline; arrive before noon for the seasoned cut.

Why locals goA 1960s cha chaan teng on the antiques row of Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, plating pork chop rice that everyone walks past on the way to art galleries.

TipThe pork chop in tomato sauce is the headline; arrive before noon for the seasoned cut.

Directions

Capital Cafe ★ 4.1

$$ CantoneseWan ChaiUntil Daily until 23:00

Capital Cafe in Wan Chai is the modern cha chaan teng with Canto pop memorabilia on the walls, trading scrambled egg with black truffle on toast and milk tea.

OrderScrambled egg with black truffle on toast.

TipTruffle scramble plus a milk tea is the Wan Chai late night order; weekend evenings get noisy.

Directions

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