Detailed Recipe for Chinese Pork Offal Congee

 Chinese pork offal congee is a traditional warm and comforting street food and home-cooked staple in southern China. 

It has a mellow, creamy rice base paired with tender, fresh pork offal, seasoned with simple aromatics. 

Light, savory and nourishing, it is suitable for breakfast, supper and daily light meals.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

120g long-grain rice

200g mixed pork offal (pork liver, pork intestines, pork heart and pork stomach)

Auxiliary Ingredients

3 slices of ginger

2 stalks of green onions

A small handful of coriander

A little shredded ginger (for removing fishy smell)

Seasonings

Salt to taste

White pepper powder

Cooking wine

Sesame oil

Light soy sauce (a small amount)

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1. Pre-treat the rice

   Wash the rice thoroughly, soak it in clean water for 20 minutes. Soaking shortens the cooking time and makes the congee thick and silky. Drain the rice for later use.
2. Clean and process pork offal (key step)

   Rinse all pork offal repeatedly with running water to remove blood stains and impurities.

• Cut pork liver and pork heart into thin slices;
• Clean pork intestines and stomach repeatedly with salt and flour to remove dirt and peculiar smell, then cut into small sections.
  Soak all cut offal in cold water with shredded ginger and one spoon of cooking wine for 15 minutes to reduce fishiness. Drain well after soaking.

3. Cook the basic congee base

   Pour an appropriate amount of clean water into a deep pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the soaked rice and ginger slices. Turn to low heat after boiling again, simmer slowly for 35 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot bottom, until the rice grains are soft and blooming, and the soup turns thick and milky white.
4. Blanch the pork offal

   Boil a pot of water, add a little cooking wine and ginger slices. Put the prepared pork offal into the boiling water and blanch for 30 to 60 seconds. Take it out immediately and drain. This step removes excess blood foam and residual fishy smell, ensuring a clean taste.
5. Combine offal with congee

   Put the blanched pork offal into the thick congee. Keep low heat and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Do not cook for too long, or the offal will become tough and affect the texture.
6. Season and finish

   Add an appropriate amount of salt, a pinch of white pepper powder and a few drops of light soy sauce to enhance the flavor. Stir evenly. Turn off the heat, drizzle with a little sesame oil, then sprinkle with chopped green onions and coriander.

Practical Cooking Tips

1. White pepper is an essential seasoning for pork offal congee, which can effectively neutralize the fishy smell of offal and enrich the flavor.
2. Do not overcook the pork liver; short-time boiling keeps it tender and smooth.
3. For a richer taste, you can add a small amount of lean meat slices together with the offal.
4. If you prefer a thicker texture, extend the simmering time of the rice congee.
5. Freshness of pork offal determines the taste of the congee, so it is recommended to choose fresh ingredients.

Recipe for Chinese Cold Mixed Yam Noodle Sheets

 Cold yam skin noodles are a classic refreshing Chinese cold dish. It features chewy, smooth yam skin with a savory, tangy and slightly spicy dressing, light and appetizing, perfect for daily meals and summer eating. Below is a complete, detailed homemade method.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

150g dried yam skin

Side Ingredients

1 small cucumber, a little carrot, coriander, 3 cloves garlic, a handful of roasted peanuts

Seasonings

1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp sesame paste, a little chicken essence

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Soak the yam skin

   Put the dried yam skin into a clean large bowl, pour in warm water at about 40℃, soak for 10–15 minutes until fully softened and no hard core inside. Take it out and gently squeeze off excess water.
2. Blanch and cool for better texture

   Boil an appropriate amount of water in a pot. Put the soaked yam skin into boiling water and blanch for 2–3 minutes. Turn off the heat, fish out the yam skin immediately, and rinse repeatedly with cold ice water. This step keeps the yam skin chewy, non-sticky and springy, then drain thoroughly and set aside.
3. Prepare side dishes and aromatics

   Shred the cucumber and carrot finely; chop garlic into minced garlic, cut coriander into small sections, and crush roasted peanuts for later use.
4. Make the special cold dressing

   Take a small bowl, add sesame paste first, stir with a little warm water to dilute it into a smooth texture. Add minced garlic, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, chicken essence, chili oil and sesame oil in sequence. Stir fully until all seasonings are well blended to form a rich cold sauce.
5. Mix all ingredients together

   Put the drained yam skin into a large mixing bowl, add cucumber shreds, carrot shreds and coriander sections. Pour the prepared seasoning sauce over the ingredients, add crushed peanuts, then toss and mix evenly with chopsticks or hands.
6. Serve and taste

   Let the mixed yam skin stand for 3–5 minutes to fully absorb the flavor of the sauce. Transfer to a plate, and you can add a little white sesame for decoration if you like.

Cooking Tips

1. Do not soak the yam skin in hot water for too long, or it will become too soft and lose its chewy taste.
2. Ice water cooling is the key to the crisp and smooth taste, do not skip this step.
3. The ratio of vinegar and sugar can be adjusted according to personal taste; add more chili oil for a spicier flavor.
4. Homemade fresh yam skin is also optional: slice fresh Chinese yam thinly, coat with starch and steam for 3–4 minutes, then cool and mix.