Congee is a type of rice porridge that is popular in East Asian countries. Rice is intentionally overcooked to create a rich velvety broth that is extremely satisfying. This technique was used to stretch rice whenever it was in short supply in the home.
Congee is a fantastic vehicle for flavor and I encourage you to customize the ingredients to whatever your preferences may be, or to whatever you have on hand. The immune boosting powers of garlic, ginger and turmeric make this particular recipe the ideal sick meal (sorry chicken noodle).
And dont get me STARTED on the benefits of pressure/slow cooking bone in chicken directly in the broth. One word: collagen. You know those $40 tubs of powdered collagen that people (me) put in their smoothies? Doesn’t hold a candle to the real stuff. Which is why I swear by making my own chicken stock at home, but we can save that conversation for another day.
In my mind, congee is the perfect food for people who dont really like to cook. It requires like 5 minutes of active cooking time, the ingredients are inexpensive, it freezes / reheats well, it’s filling, and it’s nutritious. Literally what else could you ask for?