Chef Danny Wong · Sun Fresh Bakery
STEAMING HOT and often enjoyed with an array of condiments, congee is the ultimate Cantonese comfort food. It reminds many Chinese of the Sunday morning family brunch prepared by Mom or Grandma. Congee can be plain or cooked with vegetables or with meat or seafood. Brined, sun-dried scallops have a subtle sweet flavour and are the foremost taste enhancer for premium soup stocks and congee. Pidan is the Mandarin phonic transliteration for preserved eggs known as thousand-year eggs, which are available in most Chinese grocery stores and Asian supermarkets.
Sun Fresh Bakery is a Chinatown institution. Located on Keefer Street, it’s known for its steamed buns, dumplings, rice rolls and this famous pidan congee, which is neither too thick nor too thin. Congee is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s cooked, because it becomes glutinous the longer it sits.
1½ lbs lean pork, in 1⁄16-inch slices
1 tsp salt
6 to 8 small to medium dried scallops
1½ cups long-grain rice (or more if you prefer thicker congee), rinsed and drained
4 pidan, peeled and cut in ½-inch dice
Ground white pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
IN A MEDIUM bowl, toss pork and salt together, cover and set aside for 2 hours.
Rinse scallops with water and place them in a small bowl. Add ¾ cup water and allow to soak for 2 hours. Reserve the soaking water.
Fill a 12-qt pot ¾ full of water, add rice, scallops and their soaking water, and pidan, cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Remove the lid and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent rice from sticking. This step settles the congee, allowing the rice and liquid to meld.
Increase the heat to high again and bring congee back to a boil. Add pork, and, using a whisk, break up any clumps of meat. Cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes until congee has the consistency of porridge. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Arrange green onions and cilantro in 2 small bowls and serve on the side as condiments. Ladle congee into individual bowls and serve hot.