Abalone Seafood Congee

This is a luxurious, silky-smooth Cantonese-style congee often served at upscale dim sum restaurants or during special occasions. 

The abalone  brings a rich, oceanic sweetness and tender-chewy texture, while a mix of fresh seafood adds depth and elegance. 

The congee is light yet deeply flavorful, with a velvety mouthfeel that makes it one of the most refined seafood porridges in Chinese cuisine.

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

Seafood & abalone

• Canned or fresh abalone — 1 × 425 g can (or 200–300 g fresh/pre-soaked dried abalone, sliced thinly)
• Fresh large shrimp — 150–200 g (peeled, deveined, butterflied)
• Fresh scallops — 100–150 g (sliced horizontally if large)
• Optional extra seafood: fresh squid rings — 100 g, or crab meat — 80 g

Marinade for seafood

• Shaoxing wine — 1 tbsp
• Salt — ¼ tsp
• White pepper — small pinch
• Cornstarch — ½ tsp
• Minced ginger — 1 tsp

Aromatics & seasoning

• Ginger — 4–5 thin slices (for base) + 1 tsp minced
• Green onion — 2 stalks (white part for base, green part finely chopped for garnish)
• Salt — to taste (usually ¾–1 tsp total)
• Ground white pepper — to taste
• Light soy sauce — ½–1 tsp (optional)
• Sesame oil — ½–1 tsp (final drizzle)
• Optional: chicken powder or a few dried scallops — 2–3 pieces (soaked, for richer umami)

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. Marinate the seafood
   • Pat shrimp, scallops, and any other fresh seafood dry.
   • Mix with Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and minced ginger.
   • Marinate 10–15 minutes.
3. Cook the congee base
   • In a large pot, combine rinsed rice + 2.0–2.5 L cold water + ginger slices + white parts of green onion (and soaked dried scallops if using).
   • 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.
   Pressure cooker alternative: Porridge mode ≈38–45 min high pressure + natural release 15 min.
4. Add abalone & seafood
   • Slice canned/fresh abalone thinly (reserve any abalone juice from the can — add to congee for extra flavor).
   • Bring congee back to a strong, bubbling boil.
   • Gently add marinated shrimp, scallops, squid (if using), and abalone slices (with any reserved juice).
   • Stir once or twice very gently.
   • Cook 1½–2½ minutes until shrimp turn pink, scallops become opaque, and everything is just cooked (do not overcook — seafood should stay tender).
5. Season & finish
   • Turn off heat immediately.
   • Season with salt, white pepper, optional light soy sauce, and chicken powder (if using).
   • Drizzle sesame oil over the surface and give one gentle stir.
   • Let sit 1 minute (residual heat finishes cooking the seafood perfectly).
6. Serve
   • Ladle into bowls while extremely hot.
   • Garnish generously with chopped green onion tops (and optional cilantro).
   • Serve plain — the natural sweetness of abalone and seafood shines through.
   • Traditional accompaniments: youtiao (fried dough sticks), century egg slices, or pickled vegetables.

Quick Tips for Best Result

• Abalone quality → Canned abalone (pre-cooked) is easiest and most common for home cooking. Fresh abalone needs pre-soaking and longer poaching if dried. Slice thinly for even distribution.
• Seafood timing → Add seafood last and cook only briefly — overcooking turns it rubbery and loses sweetness.
• Broth richness → Adding dried scallops (干贝) or abalone juice to the base takes it to banquet level.
• Thickness → Cantonese seafood congee is usually quite soupy — keep extra hot water handy.
• Variations →
  • Add fish maw (鱼肚) or sea cucumber slices for extra luxury.
  • For milder flavor: reduce soy sauce and keep seasoning light.
• Storage → Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep in fridge 1–2 days; reheat gently with splash of water (seafood may toughen slightly).

This congee is refined, nourishing, and full of natural ocean sweetness — a true highlight of Cantonese seafood cuisine.