Instant Pot (or not) Congee
with pork tenderloin / spinach / fried egg
Congee is an Asian comfort food staple and popular the world over. It is made by cooking rice in a large quantity of water so that it develops a porridge-like consistency. This Cantonese version, known as Jook, is flavored with ginger and pork and served with a variety of toppings, along with a fried egg for added richness.
Smarts: The toppings really make this dish special, so load it up with plenty and feel free to customize to your taste. Chopped peanuts or hot sauce are great additions!
Cooking methods: This recipe includes instructions for using the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop. Select your preferred method.
Ingredients
- Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Soy sauce, low-sodium - 2 Tbsp (plus extra for serving)
- Vinegar, rice - 1 Tbsp
- Pork tenderloin - 1 lb , thinly sliced (sub pork loin, shoulder, or chops)
- Ginger - 1 Tbsp , grated
- Green onions - 2 stalks , chopped; green and white parts combined
- Cilantro - 2 Tbsp , chopped
- Rice, jasmine, uncooked - 1 cup
- Stock, any type - 4 cups
- Water - 4 cups
- Baby spinach - 5 oz
- Eggs - 4
- Oil, toasted sesame (opt) - for serving
- White pepper - for serving (sub black pepper)
Choose Cooking Method
Prep
-
Make marinade - Whisk together first portion of cooking oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
-
Marinate pork - Slice pork thinly against the grain. Combine pork with marinade and tenderize with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Rice - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
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Slow cook congee - Remove pork from marinade (discard marinade) and place it in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add ginger, rice, stock, and water and stir well to combine. Cook the congee until the rice has broken into small bits and the liquid is thick and very starchy, 8 to 10 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high. When congee is finished cooking, stir in spinach and replace the lid to allow spinach to wilt. Season to taste with some salt and pepper (be careful not to over-salt, since it will be served with soy sauce.) (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make
-
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with second portion of cooking oil. Crack eggs into the pan and fry until they are cooked to your liking. Season the eggs with some salt and pepper as they cook.
-
Ladle congee into serving bowls. Top each with a fried egg, green onions, and cilantro. Season bowls with soy sauce, sesame oil (if using), and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Prep
-
Make marinade - Whisk together first portion of cooking oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
-
Marinate pork - Slice pork thinly against the grain. Combine pork with marinade and tenderize with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
-
Rice - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
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Make
-
Remove pork from marinade (discard marinade) and place it in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add ginger, rice, stock, and water and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the pan.
-
Reduce heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the congee at a low simmer until the rice has broken into small bits and the liquid is thick and very starchy, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check and stir the mixture occasionally to keep it from sticking.
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When congee is finished cooking, stir in spinach and replace the lid to allow spinach to wilt.
-
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with second portion of cooking oil. Crack eggs into the pan and fry until they are cooked to your liking. Season the eggs with some salt and pepper as they cook.
-
Give congee a stir and season to taste with some salt and pepper if needed (be careful not to over-salt, since it will be served with soy sauce.)
-
Ladle congee into serving bowls. Top each with a fried egg, green onions, and cilantro. Season bowls with soy sauce, sesame oil (if using), and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Prep
-
Make marinade - Whisk together first portion of cooking oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
-
Marinate pork - Slice pork thinly against the grain. Combine pork with marinade and tenderize with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
-
Rice - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
-
Remove pork from marinade (discard marinade) and place it in the bowl of an Instant Pot. Add ginger, rice, stock, and water and stir well to combine. (Be careful not to exceed the maximum liquid level for your Instant Pot; if the specified amount of liquid won’t fit, try a different cooking method.)
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Close and lock the lid and set the pressure valve to “sealing”.
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Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes, or use the “porridge” setting if your Instant Pot has one.
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When congee is finished cooking, allow pressure to release naturally (this is very important - the rice will be very starchy and can overflow or clog the vent if using quick release.)
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When pressure is fully released, open the lid and stir in spinach, and then replace the lid to allow spinach to wilt.
-
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with second portion of cooking oil. Crack eggs into the pan and fry until they are cooked to your liking. Season the eggs with some salt and pepper as they cook.
-
Give congee a stir and season to taste with some salt and pepper if needed (be careful not to over-salt, since it will be served with soy sauce.)
-
Ladle congee into serving bowls. Top each with a fried egg, green onions, and cilantro. Season bowls with soy sauce, sesame oil (if using), and pepper if desired. Enjoy!
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