GINSENG CONGEE WITH RED DATES AND GOJI BERRIES

Congee are basically rice cooked in a lot of water to form a think or creamy consistency. In Malaysia, we called it Porridge. When I say porridge, most people think of that as the sludge that Goldilocks ate in the Three Bears' House. As far as equivalents for other nationalities go, it seems to me like a real watery version of Italian risotto. Now lots of my British friends get very confused when I mention the dish porridge. To them it is a dish made from oats and primarily a savory dish, where else our Asian porridge is cooked from rice with variety toppings and condiments, from red meat to white meat, vegetables, pickles, etc. I remember my British ex used to say, "U guys are weird" whenever I tried to persuade her to have Chinese porridge and we will had this funny conversation of who is weirder..... British porridge or Chinese porridge. That was really funny.

The most accurate English name should be rice porridge. But in various parts in China and places with Chinese settlers, there are many variations for the names as well as how to serve. Cantonese called it "Jook/Juk". It resembles a kind of thick soup and raw ingredients like minced meat or seafood cooked together, making it a one-dish meal. Other types of rice porridge include the "TeowChew / Chiu Chow" porridge, Japanese "Okayu", Korean "Juk", Thai "Jok" and the Filipino "Lugao". A lot of restaurant or food sites on the Chinese rice porridge tend to use congee as an overall term in referring to all types of rice porridge. But whatever name it is called, Congee is surely a pure comfort food. It is so easy to prepare and most satisfying at any time in any season throughout the year. It doesnt matter if one is a great cook or a rookie. There is also no limit to what can be added in the congee. Have it sweet or savoury, thick or thin, luxurious or simple. 

Congee is one of the traditional Chinese food which has thousands of years of history in China. There was this legend which during in the Qing Dynasty where a famine broke out. Emperor Yong Zheng ordered his officials to make congee and distribute to the starving people but the corrupt officials would skimp on the rice and gave out very watery versions of congee, almost like clear water. When the Emperor found out, he set a rules which the congee must be so thick that when a pair of chopsticks was to be poke in, it should stays upright. Any officials who disobey this rule will be beheaded.

The ancient people were very picky about congee back then. In order to cook a delicious and good congee, the fresh rice will have to be selected, the second was the water and they will use the rain water at the beginning of the spring or the snow water in the midwinter. The heat for cooking comes the third and great attention should be paid to the level of heat. The heat can be put into two category - the quick and strong (Wu fire) and the slow and low heat (Wen fire). Yup, Chinese are weird !

So what's so good about it? There are so many of advantage in congee to name a few. When people are ill or are on recovering from an illness usually have poor appetite. Congee will help improving appetite and provide much needed nutrients. For those having diarrhoea and vomiting should take some plain congee. Not only it can ease the diarrhoea but also replenish lost fluids. And it is a good alternative food for celiacs, those who are allergic to gluten too.

I love congee a lot. I came towards a chef from Hong Kong where he taught me the proper way to cooking a nice smooth congee. He is one good guy and he swears a lot. Apart from congee, I also learned the way the Hongkee talks in pure Cantonese. And damn that was one good experience and knowledge. 

I am not feeling very well lately. Sleepless night and pushing myself to exercising in the morning trying to kick off some bloody thoughts which I am hoping to get rid off, and over drank. So I cooked a nice congee where this time I didnt add any meat or vegetables nor seafood. My dad left me a few packs of slice ginseng last time. So I make some Ginseng Congee with Red Dates and Goji Berries. Ginseng is gentle tonic, makes up the vitality and damages in the body and promote metabolism and blood circulation. 

• Very straight forward recipe. No hassle nothing involves with oil or pan. Just get half a handful of goji berries, 3 red dates, few slices of ginseng and 1 cup of rice.

• Wash and soak goji berries until soft.

• Wash and soak the rice for an hour (this will shorten the cooking time).

• Place the rice, slice ginseng, goji berries and red dates in a pot and add in water, around 8 cups at least.

• Bring it to boil. Now this is the part where everyone lower the heat to a simmer but according to my Hongkee chef, the trick is to let it boil to the highest heat. The theory is very simple, the heat will keep the rice busy "dancing" inside the pot. Instead if it is lower to simmer, the rice will falls to the bottom of the pot, and that is the reason why the pot will burned at the bottom. Just remember to check on it occasionally and top up with boiling water from the kettle instead of cold water. If cold water is added in, the whole process for the heat will cold the pot off, and the congee wouldn't be smooth at the end of the cooking.

• It only takes an hour to cook, until the rice starts to break down and the liquid around it gets creamy. There's no need to add in anything extra, not soy sauce, not salt just have it like it comes.