Curry Beef Rice

This is a hugely popular Hong Kong-style and Cantonese home-cooked dish — a rich, mildly spicy, slightly sweet beef curry served over steamed rice. 

The beef is braised until meltingly tender, the curry sauce is thick and glossy, and it’s packed with aromatic spices and vegetables.

 It’s comforting, flavorful, and perfect for family meals or leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Ingredients (serves 4–5)Beef & marinade

• Beef brisket or chuck— 600–800 g, cut into 3–4 cm chunks
• Shaoxing wine — 2 tbsp
• Light soy sauce — 1 tbsp
• Salt — ½ tsp
• White pepper — ¼ tsp
• Cornstarch — 1 tsp

Curry sauce & vegetables

• Neutral oil — 3–4 tbsp
• Onion — 1 large, roughly chopped
• Garlic — 4–5 cloves, minced
• Ginger — 1-inch piece, minced or sliced
• Carrot — 1 large, cut into chunks
• Potato — 2 medium, peeled and cut into chunks
• Japanese curry roux cubes (e.g., S&B Golden Curry or House Vermont Curry, medium hot) — 100–140 g (about ½–¾ box, adjust for spice level)
• Water or beef stock — 800–1000 ml (start with 800 ml, add more for thinner sauce)
• Coconut milk — 100–200 ml (for creaminess; optional but highly recommended in HK-style)
• Rock sugar or brown sugar — 1–2 tsp (balances flavor)
• Light soy sauce — 1–2 tbsp (to taste)
• Oyster sauce — 1 tbsp (optional, adds depth)
• Salt — to taste
• Optional: 1–2 bay leaves or star anise for extra aroma

To serve

• Steamed jasmine rice — enough for 4–5 people
• Optional garnishes: chopped green onion, cilantro, fried shallot

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Marinate the beef
   • Cut beef into bite-sized chunks.
   • Mix with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch.
   • Marinate 20–30 minutes (or longer in fridge).
2. Brown the beef
   • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
   • Add beef in batches (don’t overcrowd). Sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden-brown on all sides.
   • Remove beef to a plate. Leave oil in pot.
3. Cook the aromatics
   • In the same pot, add another 1 tbsp oil if needed.
   • Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes until onion is soft and fragrant.
   • Optional: add bay leaves or star anise here for deeper aroma.
4. Build the curry base
   • Return seared beef to pot.
   • Add carrot and potato chunks.
   • Pour in 800 ml water/stock. Bring to a full boil, skim off any foam.
   • Reduce to medium-low simmer. Cover partially and cook 1–1.5 hours (or until beef is very tender — stir occasionally, add hot water if liquid reduces too much).
5. Add curry roux & finish
   • Break curry roux cubes into smaller pieces. Add to the pot.
   • Stir gently until fully melted and sauce thickens (about 5–10 minutes).
   • Pour in coconut milk (if using) + oyster sauce + rock sugar.
   • Simmer uncovered another 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld and sauce become glossy.
   • Taste and adjust: more soy sauce for saltiness, more sugar for sweetness, more water/stock if too thick.
6. Serve
   • Spoon generous amounts of curry beef and sauce over hot steamed jasmine rice.
   • Garnish with chopped green onion or cilantro if desired.
   • Serve immediately — the sauce thickens more as it cools, so reheat with a splash of water if needed.

Quick Tips for Best Result

• Beef tenderness → Brisket or chuck is ideal — long, slow braising breaks down connective tissue. Pressure cooker: high pressure 35–40 min + natural release 15 min.
• Curry roux → Japanese-style curry cubes (S&B, House) are the most common in HK/Cantonese versions — they give the signature mild, sweet-spicy taste. Don’t use Indian curry powder directly (too different).
• Thickness → HK-style curry rice sauce is thick and clingy — reduce well after adding roux.
• Variations →
  • Add onion chunks or bell pepper in last 20 minutes for extra sweetness.
  • For spicier version: add fresh chili or chili oil at end.
  • Vegetarian: substitute beef with tofu puffs or king oyster mushrooms.
• Storage → Leftovers keep in fridge 3–4 days (flavors improve). Reheat gently with splash of water. Freezes well up to 2 months.

This dish is rich, aromatic, mildly spicy-sweet, and incredibly comforting — a true Cantonese classic that turns simple rice into a feast.

Shiitake Mushroom and Sea Cucumber Congee

This is a luxurious, nourishing Cantonese-style congee, often enjoyed as a comforting breakfast, postpartum recovery food, or elegant dim sum-style dish. 

The sea cucumber  brings a unique gelatinous texture and subtle oceanic umami, while shiitake mushrooms add deep earthy aroma. 

The result is a silky, savory-sweet porridge with rich, layered flavor.

Ingredients (serves 3–4)Congee base

• White rice (jasmine or short-grain) — ¾ cup (≈140–150 g)
• Water — 2.0–2.5 liters (start with 2 L; add boiling water if needed)
• Optional: 2–3 tbsp glutinous rice for extra creaminess

Main ingredients

• Dried shiitake mushrooms — 8–10 medium (about 30–40 g)
• Dried sea cucumber (pre-soaked or ready-to-use) — 200–300 g (see prep note below)
• Fresh or rehydrated chicken (optional, shredded) — 100–150 g (for richer stock)
• Ginger — 4–5 thin slices + 1 tsp minced

Seasoning

• Light soy sauce — 1–2 tbsp
• Salt — ¾–1 tsp (to taste)
• Ground white pepper — to taste
• Shaoxing wine — 1 tbsp
• Sesame oil — ½–1 tsp (final drizzle)
• Optional: chicken powder or MSG — ½ tsp (for extra umami)
• Garnish: chopped green onion + cilantro

Important Prep for Sea Cucumber & Shiitake

• Dried shiitake: Soak in warm water 4–8 hours (or overnight). Squeeze dry, remove stems, slice thinly. Reserve soaking liquid (strain and use as part of congee water for extra flavor).
• Dried sea cucumber (most common form):
  • Soak in cold water 2–3 days, changing water twice daily until fully rehydrated and soft.
  • Simmer in fresh water with ginger + Shaoxing wine 30–60 minutes until tender but still springy.
  • Slice into thin rounds or strips (about 0.5 cm thick).
  • If using pre-soaked/ready-to-use sea cucumber, simply rinse and slice.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the rice
   • Rinse rice 2–3 times until water runs mostly clear.
   • Optional: Mix in ½ tsp neutral oil + ¼ tsp salt. Let sit 15–30 minutes (makes silkier congee).
2. Start the congee base
   • In a large pot, combine rinsed rice + shiitake soaking liquid (strained) + enough water to total 2.0–2.5 L + ginger slices.
   • Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently in the first 5–10 minutes to release starch and prevent sticking.
   • Reduce to lowest simmer, partially cover, and cook 60–90 minutes. Stir every 10–15 minutes.
   • When rice grains have mostly broken down and congee is creamy (around 40–60 min), proceed to next step.
   (Pressure cooker alternative: porridge mode ≈38–45 min high pressure + natural release 15 min)
3. Add shiitake & sea cucumber
   • Add sliced rehydrated shiitake mushrooms + sliced sea cucumber.
   • If using chicken: add shredded chicken now.
   • Simmer gently another 15–25 minutes. Shiitake will release deep umami; sea cucumber becomes tender and gelatinous, thickening the broth slightly.
4. Season
   • Add Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and optional chicken powder.
   • Taste and adjust — the congee should be savory with subtle mushroom-sea umami and a hint of sweetness from the ingredients. Do not over-salt; sea cucumber and shiitake add natural saltiness.
   • Simmer 5 more minutes to let flavors meld.
5. Finish
   • Turn off heat.
   • Drizzle sesame oil over the surface and give one gentle stir.
   • Let sit 1–2 minutes (residual heat finishes cooking).
6. Serve
   • Ladle into bowls while very hot.
   • Garnish generously with chopped green onion and cilantro.
   • Serve plain — the natural richness shines through. Optional: side of youtiao (fried dough sticks) or pickled vegetables.

Quick Tips for Best Result

• Sea cucumber quality → Use good-quality dried sea cucumber (not too small or thin). Pre-soaked frozen ones save time but fresh-soaked taste better.
• Broth richness → Shiitake soaking liquid is gold — never discard it. Adding a few dried scallops (干贝) to the base takes it to restaurant level.
• Texture → Sea cucumber should be soft but still have a slight bounce; over-simmering makes it mushy.
• Thickness → Cantonese congee is usually quite soupy — keep extra hot water handy.
• Variations → For extra luxury, add abalone slices or fish maw. For milder flavor, reduce soy sauce.
• Storage → Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep in fridge 1–2 days; reheat gently with splash of water (sea cucumber texture may change slightly).

This congee is elegant yet deeply comforting — the combination of silky sea cucumber, earthy shiitake, and creamy rice broth is pure nourishment.