Pork Congee Food

PORK BONE CONGEE RECIPE

Steps:

• Rub the pork bones in 1 tablespoon of salt and marinate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, in the refrigerator.
• Put the marinated pork bones in a large pot with 4½ quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam with a spoon or a fine-meshed strainer, and discard.
• Next add the dried squid/conch/dried scallops (if using), cover the pot loosely, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for 4 hours.
• Taste the soup and re-season with salt if needed. Add the soaked rice and simmer for another hour. If you decide to use Judy's method for 20-minute Congee, then all you need is an additional 30 minutes after adding the grains!
• One point I'd like to make here is that the texture and consistency of congee is a very personal thing. Some like their congee cooked like a gruel, where you can't see any signs of individual rice granules at all. Others prefer the rice granules cooked until they just open up or "blossom like a flower," to use the literal translation of a Chinese expression. Finally, some prefer it thick and others prefer it thin. This recipe yields a thick congee, where the rice is cooked until it blossoms like a flower. But once you're familiar with this congee recipe, feel free to adjust the amount of water and/or rice according to your own preferences!
• At this point, give your congee another taste, and add additional salt to taste. Ladle the congee into small bowls, and serve with chopped scallion, cilantro, and pepper.

SALTED PORK CONGEE WITH CENTURY EGG

Steps:

• Wash and drain the rice twice with cold water in a medium bowl. Add enough cold water to come 1 inch above the rice. Cover and soak in the refrigerator at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Massage 2 teaspoons of salt into the pork in a medium bowl until the salt dissolves, about 30 seconds. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Add 11 cups cold water to a 7-quart Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Pour off all the water from the soaked rice. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the neutral oil and massage using a spatula or spoon until the oil and salt are well distributed and most of the rice grains are broken.
• Rinse the pork strips under running water to remove excess salt and drain.
• Add the rice and pork to the boiling water. Bring back up to a rolling boil, stirring continuously, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes using a wooden spatula, until the mixture has thickened, the rice grains have broken down and the texture is similar to the consistency of cooked grits, 50 to 70 minutes. (To thin out the consistency, add warm water 1/4 cup at a time. To thicken the consistency, simmer until desired thickness, about 5 minutes.)
• Stir in the century eggs if using and cook until the eggs are warmed through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper and salt to taste.
• Divide among bowls and top with scallions, ginger and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil if desired.