Peanut Congee
"Just take a few bites." —Mom
She hands me a large bowl filled with what looks like watery white mush—not far off from what I had "revisited" just a few hours before.
Confined to my bed with a fever, chills, and limbs so weak that holding said bowl was a chore, Mom worked tirelessly to nurse me back to my healthy, care-free self. But knowing that I still needed food, she made what all Chinese kids know to be the chicken noodle soup of Asian cuisine: congee.
Congee is made with rice that softens with prolonged cooking. The texture varies by preference, depending on the proportion of water to rice (my family enjoys a thinner version), but it's usually in the same arena as porridge. Most often served with a savory stock as a base, congee can also be sweet, but (at least in my household) that's not often. Similar to its English cousin, congee's variations are limited only by your imagination.
To be clear, I'm not learning to make congee because I love it (unlike Sis, who craves it often)—in fact, I never lost much love on the dish. But it's a staple in my life. At first I planned to make Mom's personal favorite dish to celebrate Mother's Day, but soon enough I realized nothing represents her better than congee.
This dish brings me comfort, especially when sick, not just because it's a great meal to eat when under-the-weather (which it is), but because it brings me back to Mom and those long nights that she stayed up taking care of me. It's the comfort and safety of knowing that someone is ALWAYS there for you, loving you, and doing everything in their power to make you better, and that's who Mom is and that's what she does. She puts her needs second, always. So, to moms past, present, and future, Happy Mother's Day!
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS (FOR 2)
| 1 lb pork chops, bone in | 2 tsp salt |
| 1/3 cup rice | 1.5 tsp soy sauce |
| 1/2 cup raw peanuts | 1 tsp sugar |
| 5 cups water | 1.5 tsp oyster sauce |
PREPARE
1. Separate the meat from the bones. Set meat aside.
2. Salt the bones using 1.5 tsp and place in fridge overnight.
3. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce together to create a marinade.
4. Slice the meat finely and mix in marinade. Place in fridge.
COOK
1. Combine bones, peanuts, rice, remaining salt and water in a soup pot.
2. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for two hours, or until desired texture is reached.
3. About one and a half hours in, add the marinated pork.
EAT
Congee isn't often eaten on its own when you're in good health. It's served with lo mein, similar to that whole soup and salad situation.
Toppings for congee could be another post in itself—the options are limitless. Chopped scallion, white pepper, and sesame oil make up the essentials. But other favorites of mine include youtiao (ie. Chinese cruller, or fried dough) and century eggs (if you're adventurous).
