Healthy Recipes Heritage Cooking Shrimp & Chicken Congee 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews This recipe for savory rice porridge comes from EatingWell's former Test Kitchen manager, Breana Lai Killeen, who shared it for Father's Day because it is one of her father's favorite dishes. "In the U.S., this dish is called congee, but in Hong Kong, we call it jok," she says. "My dad's version was always pretty bland, but this recipe is adapted from one in the cookbook A Place at the Table from a Laotian chef who, just like me, is a first-generation Asian raised in North Carolina." Congee can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and leftovers freeze well. By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H, RD, is a Chinese and Jewish chef and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She is a recipe developer, culinary nutritionist and marketing specialist with more than 15 years of experience creating editorial and digital content for top food and kitchen brands. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 31, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Prep Time: 15 mins Additional Time: 1 hr 5 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 8 servings Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly Low-Sodium Low-Fat Heart-Healthy Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe When I tried to think of a Father’s Day gift for my dad, I couldn’t imagine sending him a gadget, corny mug or socks—though he’d love all three. Repeatedly, my dad says he has everything he needs and everything he wants. He gets to see the sunset over the water, ride his bike 10 miles and do yoga every day. But the one thing he says he misses is the ability to share a meal with his only child. A quick Google maps search shows my dad and I are exactly 2,959 miles away from each other. That means we’re a 45-hour drive from enjoying dinner together. There’s nothing my dad enjoys more than a Chinese meal with family. Whether it’s the long, drawn-out 10-course Cantonese banquet with 10 equally loud family members jerking around a Lazy Susan to get the last bites of roast pork or simple egg noodles shared just the two of us at kitchen island bar, my dad is happiest when he’s sharing food. Some of my fondest childhood memories stem from being in the kitchen with him and my mom making rows and rows of dumplings, frying up leftover rice and steaming whole fish. Cooking with my parents is one reason I’m a cook now. But this year has brought forth barriers that none of us could foresee, and my dad is grounded in San Diego while I am in Vermont. So this Father's Day, instead of sending him a gift, I wrote him a recipe for one of his favorite dishes, jok, also known as congee. Every family has their own recipe, but I’ve always thought my dad’s was boring. Ha! One cup of rice, tons of water with only one sliver of ginger and salt? So bland and flavorless. (Cue the childish eyeroll.) How could he eat it every day for breakfast? Hasn’t he tried scrambled eggs with herbs and avocado toast? Doesn’t he know that I’ve been cooking professionally for 15 years and could help him make it taste better? Well, this year he can have his congee, while I have mine and we can share it over Zoom. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll try making my version so we can share it together. Congee is a traditional Chinese breakfast porridge made from rice simmered in water. Essentially, it’s a way to stretch a little bit of rice into a meal for several people. For many Chinese people and members of other Asian cultures, congee has become a comfort food. My dad, who grew up in 500 square feet with 8 people, ate it every day for breakfast before he left Hong Kong at age 17 to move in with a cousin in Canada. But these days, even as I’m testing comforting holiday recipes in my home test kitchen, I find I’m reaching for my own comfort foods. Ramen, another favorite of my dad’s, makes a biweekly appearance. (Although many people in the United States associate ramen only with Japanese cuisine, ramen actually has roots in China—but that’s a story for another time.) He keeps his simple, while mine is piled high with toppings. So, reach out to your dad and see if he wants to enjoy a meal with you. Maybe it’s a shared love for Cool Ranch Doritos, or maybe it’s a three-course steak dinner. I’ll be simmering rice with charred ginger, scallions, chicken and shrimp, then topping my porridge with chili crisp and lime juice. My dad will tell me it’s too fancy for jok, and I’ll tell him it tastes like a hug in a bowl. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 4-inch knob ginger, unpeeled 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled 1 bunch scallions 1 small handful fresh cilantro stems, plus chopped leaves for serving 15 cups water 1 pound whole chicken legs 5 dried shiitake or Chinese black mushrooms 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon paste 1 ½ teaspoons salt Pinch of sugar 1 ½ cups jasmine rice 8 ounces large shell-on shrimp (21-25 count) ¼ teaspoon white pepper Lime wedges for garnish Spicy chili crisp for garnish Directions Place ginger and garlic in a small cast-iron pan over high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides, 6 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, trim scallion ends and cut the whites from the greens. Tie the scallion whites and cilantro stems together with kitchen twine. Slice the scallion greens and reserve for garnish. Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the scallion bundle, the garlic, the ginger, chicken legs, dried mushrooms, bouillon paste, salt and sugar. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Stir in rice, shrimp and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has the consistency of porridge, about 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken, shrimp and mushrooms to a clean cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the chicken, peel and chop the shrimp, and slice the mushrooms. Discard skin, bones and shells. Remove and discard the scallion bundle, ginger and garlic. Serve the congee topped with the chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, scallion greens and chopped cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges and spicy chili crisp, if desired. Equipment Kitchen twine To make ahead Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. EatingWell.com, June 2020 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 209 Calories 4g Fat 31g Carbs 14g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Serving Size 1 1/2 cups Calories 209 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 31g 11% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Total Sugars 1g Protein 14g 29% Total Fat 4g 4% Saturated Fat 1g 4% Cholesterol 63mg 21% Vitamin A 233IU 5% Vitamin C 4mg 4% Folate 16mcg 4% Sodium 503mg 22% Calcium 49mg 4% Iron 2mg 9% Magnesium 27mg 6% Potassium 222mg 5% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.