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[1] Hot and spicy congee with chili crunch. The recipe is below (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).
[2] Chili crunch gives heat to this recipe. It’s become a popular ingredient, found in Asian stores as well as general grocers, including Trader Joe’s. This one is available on Amazon (photo © Momofuku).
[3] Plain congee with a boiled egg. Here’s the recipe (photo © Sprinkles and Sprouts).
[4] This ginger chicken congee is made with brown rice. Here’s the recipe (photo © Honest Cooking).
[5] Seafood congee adds shrimp and scallops. Here’s the recipe (photo © Omnivore’s Cookbook). |
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Have you ever eaten something that was spicy enough to wake the dead? Then try the Hot & Spicy Congee recipe below.
O.K., maybe waking the dead is an exaggeration. But though not for the weak of stomach, this recipe works for cold or flu season, and might be just what the doctor ordered: a hot and spicy alterative to Jewish chicken soup.
Just in time for International Hot & Spicy Day, January 16th, our colleague Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog turned creamy, hearty, and soothing, classic congee (Chinese rice porridge) into something befitting the holiday.
The dish gets a spicy upgrade with a generous spoonful of chili crisp (a.k.a. chili crunch), an ingredient that’s been “discovered” in the U.S. over the past few years.
This easy-to-make dish is something spicy for breakfast, a side dish with flair, or as a main course like risotto, topped with shrimp, tofu, or other protein—even beans.
Toppings for congee are entirely up to the eater. Like risotto, the creamy rice porridge is, as Hannah says, “a gracious base for anything your heart desires.”
She’s a big fan of shiitake mushrooms paired with congee. “Add textural contrast,” she says, “with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds.”
But the chili crunch, she advises, is “what transforms a bowl of mush into a downright addictive meal,” which she can eat straight from the jar.
And by the way, this spicy congee recipe is also helper when you’re feeling under the weather. Read more below.
> The history of congee is also below.
ABOUT CHILI CRISP
Chili crisp, also known as chili crunch, is a Chinese condiment that consists of fried garlic, onions, shallots, and chili flakes in oil. It was first made by Lao Gan Ma, a Chinese food company known for its chili sauce products.
The exact origin of chili crisp is a crisp tale as well.
Back in 1989, Lao Gan Ma’s founder, Tao Huabi, was an illiterate widow raising two sons in a rural village in Guizhou Province, one of the poorest regions in China’s southwest.
She ran a food truck and sold tofu cold noodles. She offered her homemade chile sauces for dipping.
Before long, she noticed that customers preferred her chile sauces over her tofu and noodles. And so, in 1996, the Lao Gan Ma brand was born. The name means old godmother.
More than two decades later, Tao has a reported net worth of $1.9 billion, making her one of the richest women in China. Here’s more about it.
RECIPE: SPICY CHILI CRISP / CHILI CRUNCH CONGEE
Total prep and cook time is 1 hour.
Ingredients For 3-4 Servings
1/2 cup sushi rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2-Inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3-4 tablespoons Chili Crisp
Garnish: 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Preparation
1. COMBINE the rice, stock, salt, ginger garlic, and soy sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stir occasionally so that the rice doesn’t clump or stick to the bottom.
2. SIMMER for about 1 hour, or until the rice is fully cooked and the congee is thick and creamy. Ladle into bowls and top with chili crisp and cilantro, as desired. Enjoy hot.
The congee will continue to thicken as it cools. Adjust with additional stock or water if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
THE HISTORY OF CONGEE
Congee, rice porridge, has a long history and is a staple food in many Asian countries. The dish has its roots in China and has been consumed for millennia.
Congee traces its origins back to ancient China, where it was considered a nutritious and easily digestible food. The earliest records of congee consumption date back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 B.V.E.). It was initially used as a medicinal food to treat digestive ailments.
It is also mentioned in the Chinese Record of Rites of the first century C.E., and noted in Pliny’s account of India circa 77 C.E.
Over time, congee spread to other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. Each region developed its own variations of the dish, incorporating local ingredients and flavors. For example:
In China, you may find savory congees with ingredients like preserved eggs, pickled vegetables, or meats.
In contrast, in Japan, okayu is a type of congee often served with toppings like pickled plums or seaweed.
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While the dish is associated with East Asian cuisine, the word “congee” itself has its origins in the Tamil kanji (also the Telugu and Kannada gañji, the Malayalan kanni and the Urdu ganji), from kanjī, “boilings,” referring to the water in which rice has been cooked [source].
Medicinal Uses Of Congee
Congee was and is often prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for its healing properties.
The soft porridge is easy on the digestive system and recommended for people recovering from illnesses.
Thus, it’s not only a common breakfast dish and comfort food, but is also consumed during times of discomfort.
Modern Congee
Congee continues to evolve from its deep historical roots. Modern variations include sweet congees, with ingredients like red beans or fruit.
Whatever the topping, congee remains a versatile and beloved dish, appreciated for its simplicity and adaptability, across Asia and beyond.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CAPSAICIN
Hot chile peppers have genuine medicinal properties thanks to their characteristic burn from capsaicin, the compound responsible.
For short term pain relief, biting into a blisteringly hot food releases endorphins, creating a mild “high” and dampening other discomforting sensations, like headaches, joint pain, and beyond.
Chile peppers are great for improving heart health! Studies have shown they can reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and increase blood flow.
Stress less with a calming dose of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1). Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to added anxiety or trouble regulating moods over time.
Have tissues handy, because this stuff will clear out your sinuses and ease congestion.
Plus, capsaicin has antibacterial properties which are effective in fighting and preventing chronic sinus infections.
CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.
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