A Chinese breakfast dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min

Organic sourcing

Scallions are worth sourcing organic as they fall into the category of thin-skinned produce that can have higher pesticide residues.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• 8 cups water
• 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• to taste soy sauce (gluten-free, if needed)

Method

1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
2. In a large pot, combine the rinsed rice and water. Bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the ginger slices.
4. Simmer the rice covered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until it reaches a porridge-like consistency.
5. Stir in the sea salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
6. Serve the congee hot, garnished with sliced scallions and soy sauce to taste.

Notes

• For added flavor, consider topping with cilantro or sesame oil.
• Make congee ahead and reheat with a bit of water to loosen.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Chinese recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.