My dad used to make huge Thanksgiving dinners, and the morning after, we would be treated to delicious turkey congee. Congee is a Chinese rice porridge traditionally eaten for breakfast or brunch, but I personally eat it any time. It is also very good for digestion and has excellent health benefits. Although I've been having congee since I was a baby, it remains for me the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dried scallops
- 3 dried black mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups uncooked short-grain white rice
- ½ leftover turkey carcass, broken into pieces
- 9 cups water
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup raw peanuts
- 2 tablespoons dried red onion
- 8 dashes sesame oil
- ground white pepper to taste
Directions
- Place dried scallops and dried mushrooms in a bowl; pour in hot water to cover and let stand to rehydrate, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain rice; set aside.
- Separate any meat from bones of turkey carcass; set aside. Place bones and 9 cups hot water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Drain mushrooms and scallops; squeeze out any excess water. Break scallops into smaller pieces; slice mushrooms thinly.
- Stir scallops, mushrooms, rice, and turkey meat into the stockpot; reduce heat to allow congee to simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally for a smooth congee, until rice is tender and congee is thick, about 2 hours. If you like a thinner congee, stir in hot water a few tablespoons at a time.
- Ladle congee into individual bowls; top each bowl with cilantro, green onions, ginger, peanuts, red onion, sesame oil, and white pepper as desired.
