Century Egg Congee

Ingredients

• 200g jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 3cm ginger, julienned
• 200g chicken thigh, sliced thinly (optional)
• 2 century eggs or 2 soft-boiled eggs, quartered
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons crisp fried shallots
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• White pepper
• Salt

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice, then freeze it for an hour if you have time — the ice crystals break the grains and the congee turns silky faster.
• Julienne the ginger finely.

Steps

1. Bring the stock to a boil with the rice and half the ginger.
2. Drop to the lowest possible simmer and cook uncovered for an hour.
3. Stir every 10 minutes, scraping the base so it does not catch.
4. The congee is ready when the grains have burst and it pours thickly from a ladle.
5. Add the chicken, if using, in the last 10 minutes so it poaches gently.
6. Season with soy sauce, salt and plenty of white pepper.
7. Loosen with more stock if it has thickened past pouring consistency.
8. Ladle into bowls and top with the eggs, remaining ginger, spring onions and fried shallots.
9. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil.