Steamed Congee with Fish and Ginger
Susan Vu
November 27, 2024
Many Asian cultures have a form of rice porridge — China has congee, Vietnam’s version is called cháo, Korea’s porridge is known as juk, and the list goes on. Although each country has their own interpretation of the dish, most recipes start more or less the same. Raw or leftover cooked rice gets gently simmered on the stovetop in an ample amount of either water or a flavorful stock until the rice softens and becomes almost creamy in texture.
This recipe is my ode to the many bowls of congee I have eaten in my life, but made a little more hands-off thanks to the Anova Precision Oven. The rice and stock (in this case, store-bought fish stock) get combined then steamed in the oven. This method only requires the congee to get stirred once, but the end result is just as rich and satisfying as the stovetop version.
Serves
6
Prep Time
00:15
Cook Time
01:40
0
1
Ingredients
1 (3-inch) piece
ginger (55g)
3 cloves
garlic (8g)
3 Tbsp
soy sauce, plus additional for serving
1 Tbsp
toasted sesame oil, plus additional for drizzling
Kosher salt
½ tsp (1g)
ground white pepper, plus additional for sprinkling
1 lb
skinless sea bass, flounder, or cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup (205g)
raw jasmine rice
8 cups
good-quality prepared fish stock
2 cups
water
½ cup (40g)
sliced scallions
½ cup (20g)
coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and soft stems
Steps
1. Marinate the Fish
Peel the ginger and cut it in half. Finely grate half of the ginger and place it into a medium bowl. Cut the remaining ginger into very thin matchsticks and set it aside to top the congee later. Finely grate the garlic cloves and add to the bowl with the grated ginger along with the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt, and the white pepper. Stir to combine then add the fish filets and gently stir until the fish is coated in the seasoning. Chill in the refrigerator while you make the congee.
2. Preheat the Oven
Rack
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 300°F
Heat: Rear
3. Rinse the Rice and Combine the Ingredients for the Congee
Put the jasmine rice into a fine-mesh strainer and quickly rinse the rice with cold water. You are only washing the rice here and not trying to remove the excess starch. Transfer the rinsed rice to a small Dutch oven and add the fish stock and water.
4. Cook the Congee
Rack
Put the Dutch oven into the oven and cook, uncovered, until the rice is very tender and the mixture becomes thick and slightly creamy, about 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring once after 1 hour. The consistency will be similar to porridge or a slightly loose rice pudding.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 300°F
Heat: Rear
01:30 Timer
5. Add the Marinated Fish
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place onto a trivet. Remove the marinated fish from the refrigerator then use tongs to gently nestle the fish pieces into the congee.
6. Finish Cooking the Congee
Rack
Return the Dutch oven to the oven and continue to cook until the fish is opaque and flaky, about 10 minutes. The congee will be thick but you can stir in additional hot water (or stock if you have it) to make it thinner if you prefer.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 300°F
Heat: Rear
00:10 Timer
7. Serve
Ladle the congee and fish into individual bowls then drizzle with additional sesame oil and sprinkle with additional white pepper. Top with the sliced ginger, scallions, and cilantro then serve immediately with additional soy sauce on the side.
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