“No milk, no spicy foods, no grape or orange, no …” This was what my dear doctor mentioned after he gave me a shot and diagnosed that I was attacked by flu. However, by the time you read this post, I trust I should be fully recovered because while writing this, I already feel energized after taken a couple bowls of this congee (or porridge). I am so thrilled to share this here because it is neither an usual congee I would make nor a traditional Chinese porridge, but it is unexpectedly good to taste. Special to me though, this congee is just a new mix of ingredients, humble ingredients including brown rice, tomato, and scallops, which are often available in my kitchen.
I have not that prepared to get this recipe posted, so here are just two pictures to share. But I must say you would not go wrong with this cause it is too simple to cook.
- Ingredients
- 75g brown rice
- 5 cups water
- 4 frozen scallops, deforsted
- 1 each tomato, cut into sections (I didn’t measure it, but is larger than a tennis ball)
- salt and sugar to taste
- 1 tsp spring onion, finely chopped (optional)
- You may choose to use white rice instead, which requires no soaking in advance thus is more convenient. I simply love to seize every chance to cook brown rice because of its benefits to health.
Method
Rinse brown rice. Soak it with a cup of water for about an hour (check the instructions on the package of your brown rice). Bring 5 cups of water to boil (including one from soaking), then add in the rice and keep boiling them over medium heat.
After the rice is added in, gently stir it for a while to prevent sticking to the bottom of pot.
As the starchy content emits from the rice while boiling, the congee will easily spill over. To minimize such, you may use a large stock pot of which the capacity should be at least two times the amount of the water you are going to boil. Or, let the lid half open (I do this by resting a pair of wooden chopstick between the pot and the lid, hopefully I shall have some photos to show you in the coming recipes).
After boiling rice for about 15 minutes, turn to low heat and keep boiling for another 30 minutes or until the thickness of porridge suits your preference (as the congee gets thick, it is easy to get stuck at the bottom and be burnt, so do give a few more stirs to prevent sticking toward the end) . Put in sections of tomato and scallops and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add salt to taste, top congee with spring onion for garnishing or added flavor. Serve hot.
Having had the first slurp, I found that the congee was a bit sour with the tomato flavor. As a remedial action, I sprinkled in some sugar, after which the taste was perfect to me.
A Recipe for Preventing Flu
I took the above soup for preventing flu in end December but fact is I have got a flu in this first week of February. Obviously, the prevention has an expiry date if we still believe its effect. Just a reminder to share.
- Category: Rice and Grain . Seafood . Vegetable .
- 17 comments
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I’ve never had a tomato congee before, it looks oh-so yummy! Sounds like a great combo to me coz I love both congee and tomatoes (and of coz scallops!).
But, why didn’t the doctor let you eat oranges when you caught a flu? I thought oranges would help, coz full of vitamin C? No? ^^
I’ve never thought of making congee out of brown rice. I’d love to give this a try.
Brown rice congee….wow.. how delicious and nutritious! I must give it a try soon!
Brown rice tomato congee is a first for me. I hope you are feeling better already.
@KennyT, Even recovered, I have to refrain from eating oranges or grapes for a few days. Or I’ll risk coughing a lot. And apparently we don’t go to the same doctor : ).
@gaga, @Angie, I would love to repeat again brown rice is good for health. For daily diet, I often mix a smaller portion of brown rice into the white rice and cook them together. Enjoy.
@penny, Thanks, I’m fine and is just back from a dinner.
I bet this was delicious.
You take amazing shots of food. Everything looks so good!
Looks very delicious. I do want that now to keep me warm. I still have 3 packets of brown rice. Need to cook more congee.
This looks so wholesome and good. I’m glad that porridge is becoming ‘stylish’ again, because it should be. And yours looks nice, especially with scallop-yum.
i have to share this recipe with my mom!:)))))
Your congee makes me feel hungry again, I’ve eaten breakfast though.
I also like to have congee when I feel sick or don’t have the appetite. The rice in congee provides with vitamin B that really helps improve our appetite.
@Lori, Thanks, It is delicious may I assure again, and I have made it again the next day.
@MaryMoh, You have the wealth that is 3 times of mine : ).
@Stella, Another stylish porridge I have tried is one that is cooked with a whole crab, just yum.
@amy, Love your idea!
@Christine@Christine’s Recipe, I take congee both for breakfast, lunch and occasionally dinner. Hope I have not created a wrong impression that congee is only good for the sicked : ).
And it looks good…as usual. Why not send this on to food52.com? They’re having a porridge contest this week!
The congee looks beautiful and very flavorful. I’ll keep this in mind when I’m not feeling well. Actually, I would love to have this even when I”m well.
Tomato IS unusual in congee. But I bet it would be wonderful. After all, tomato adds such great flavor, and such a nice bright sweet, acidic tang to so many soups and stews, why not one made of rice, right? A wonderful idea. I’m trying this next time I make a big pot of rice porridge.
I love RIce Pooridge(Jook)! When I make too much rice it goes in a ziplock and put in freezer!I just boil 2 quarts water and some smached and chopped ginger with maybe a pint of the cooked rice and use that as my base!My nieces and Nephews love a piping hot bowl with a nice display of either leftover steamed meatloaf or other meat dishes and vegetables!I need to admit they are 1/2 chinese(my brother) and love Buddha’s Delight(Jai) and Bean Curd dishes in their Jook!
Am down with a bad cold and had very few things in my fridge, so this turned out very nicely for me. Thanks for sharing!
@Kerry,
Hope you are fine now.
I suppose you should take a good rest while having a cold. Anyway, thanks for writing and glad to learn that this turned out nice for you.