Detailed Recipe for Chaoshan Fish Congee

Chaoshan fish congee is a classic traditional staple from Chaoshan region in Guangdong, China. It features a light, sweet, milky rice soup paired with fresh tender fish meat.

 With simple seasonings that highlight the original seafood flavor, it is light, nourishing, easy to digest, and loved as breakfast, supper and healthy daily meals.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

120g fresh round-grain rice

250g fresh white fish flesh (grass carp, sea bass or hairtail)

Auxiliary Ingredients

3 slices of ginger

2 stalks of green onions

A handful of chopped coriander

A little shredded ginger

Seasonings

A proper amount of salt

Ground white pepper

Cooking wine

Sesame oil

A dash of light soy sauce (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preprocess the rice

   Wash the rice clean and soak it in cold water for 20 minutes. Soaking softens the rice, shortens cooking time, and helps the congee turn thick and creamy. Drain the soaked rice and set aside.
2. Handle fresh fish

   Remove fish bones, fish scales and fishy parts, then cut the fish into thin slices.

   Rinse the fish slices with clean water, add a little cooking wine, shredded ginger and a pinch of salt.

   Mix gently and marinate for 10 minutes to remove fishy odor and lock freshness.
3. Cook the basic congee base

   Pour plenty of water into a deep pot, add ginger slices and bring to a boil over high heat.

   Add the soaked rice, turn to medium heat and boil again, then simmer on low heat for 35–40 minutes.

   Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the rice grains bloom and the soup becomes thick and milky white.
4. Cook the fish slices

   Turn the congee to medium heat, put in the marinated fish slices, and spread them evenly.

   Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the fish turns white and fully cooked.

   Do not cook for too long, or the fish meat will become tough and dry.
5. Season the congee

   Add appropriate salt and a moderate amount of white pepper to enhance flavor and remove fishiness.

   Stir gently to mix all flavors evenly. Turn off the heat after boiling once more.
6. Finish and serve

   Drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil, sprinkle with chopped green onions and coriander.

   Scoop into bowls and serve hot immediately.

Cooking Tips

1. White pepper is the soul of Chaoshan fish congee, which perfectly balances the fishy taste.
2. Fresh fish is the key to delicious congee; avoid frozen fish for better sweet flavor.
3. Keep the cooking time of fish slices short to ensure tender and smooth texture.
4. For richer flavor, you can add a small amount of shrimp or dried seafood.
5. Keep the seasoning light to retain the natural umami of fish and rice.

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.