Home > Congee > Pork Congee
Pork congee is very easy to make, so surprise your family with yummy and delicious hot breakfast, especially if you have some leftover pork.
Pork is the most common meat ingredient used by the Chinese in their cooking. So it comes as no surprise that there are many pork congee recipes using different pork cuts.
Ground pork is by far the favourite amongst Singaporeans as it is easy to use. Unlike pork wonton fillings that need a certain amount of fat to ensure juiciness, ground pork for congee can be as lean as possible. It is also easy to pack and freeze ground pork which means you can ground a whole lot of pork, pack in smaller portions and freeze for later use.
My personal favourite minced ground congee is the century egg pork congee. Century egg is a type of preserved egg and need some getting used to (^-^). Otherwise, you can try the basic minced pork congee recipe and throw some carrot in.
Pork congee can also be made with pork slices. Slice thinly and tenderize. Pound the pork slices with a meat mallet or back of a knife to tenderize. Marinate lightly with some seasonings before adding to the congee for some added flavour.
Turn your congee into daily tonics by adding suitable Chinese herbs. For example, pair pork slices with pearled barley and it becomes diuretic and anti-inflammatory. Some ingredients are added just for their flavour like dried mushrooms.
This rice congee is touted as a flu prevention soup recipe. The congee is supposed to be light and bland but if you really can't stand the blandness, introduce some flavour by adding a bouillion stock cube that contain no MSG.
The white hyacinth beans have beneficial medicinal properties associated with dispelling the damp heat of a hot summer.
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This congee is a mild herbal congee. Cook on the stove top or in a rice cooker or slow cooker.
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Marinate for the pork
Directions
This is a very simple dish to prepare especially when you use the rice cooker. No intricate technique, no long preparation time. Just wash and cut everything up and throw into the pot. When the button pops, the congee is done.
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The great thing about using pork ribs in rice porridge is that you do not have to use any soup stock. The ribs will flavour the congee and the ribs are cooked till they fall off the bones.
This pork congee features rice, yam (or taro) and prime pork ribs.
In certain parts of the world, including Singapore, taro is commonly called yam. This is not strictly accurate. I have not found out why the locals here refer to taro as yam. If you do, let me know.
In the past, taro, like sweet potato and tapioca, is considered a working class vegetable. It is added to congee or rice to supplement it as rice can be more expensive especially in times of drought. Later, it was discovered that yam has complex carbohydrates and good trace minerals which is good for health. So its status has somewhat been elevated.
Fry the yam to keep it intact when it is added to the congee. It also makes it crispier and imparts a smoky flavour. However if you are concerned about the oil, you can steam the yam instead.
If you have a rice cooker, you can use it to make this congee. It is not necessary to bring the stock to a boil. Add both soup stock and washed rice together into the cooker. If your rice cooker doesn't have a congee setting, leave the rice cooker partially covered in case there is a boil over.
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Cook the rice, pork ribs and soup stock at the same time. When the congee is about done, add the tomatoes.
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Pork liver has lots of iron, vitamin A and carbohydrates. If you are anaemic due to iron deficiency, soups or congee with pork liver is a good dietary supplement. It tastes better and your body will absorp the iron and calcium better.
The taste of liver can be quite strong which is why it will taste much better served in congee.
It is important to blanch the pork liver prior to adding them to the congee, unless you are in the mood for brownish looking congee. Blanch for about 30 seconds just to cook the surface of the liver. Do not overdo as they will become dry and chewy.
If you think 100g of pork liver is too much, do reduce the amount. Slice them as thin as you could.
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Marinate for the pork
Directions
That's all I have on pork congee. I hope I have shown you that there are so many ways to enjoy it. Please experiment away!