Congee

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup rice
• 8 cups water or stock
• 2 inch ginger, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Toppings: spring onion, fried garlic, chilli oil, boiled or century egg, peanuts

Method

1. Rinse the rice, then freeze it for 20 minutes if you have time — it breaks down much faster.
2. Rice, water, ginger and garlic in a big pot. Boil, then lowest heat.
3. 45 minutes, stirring every 10 so it doesn't stick. It's ready when the grains have dissolved into cream.
4. Thin with hot water whenever it gets too thick.
5. Salt, soy, sesame oil.
6. The toppings do the work: spring onion, crispy garlic, chilli oil, an egg.