Kitchen Recipe Collection
Century Egg and Pork Congee
The most iconic congee pairing. Creamy, savory rice porridge featuring the rich, earthy flavor of century eggs and tender slivers of lean pork.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 9 cups water or mild chicken broth
- 2 Century eggs (Pidan), peeled and diced
- 150g lean pork (tenderloin), cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- Julienned ginger
- Chopped scallions
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
Instructions
- 1
Marinate Pork
Mix the pork slivers with soy sauce, cornstarch, white pepper, and half the ginger. Set aside.
- 2
Prepare Rice
Rinse the rice. Toss it with the vegetable oil and salt, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- 3
Boil Liquid
Bring the 9 cups of water or broth to a rolling boil.
- 4
Simmer Rice
Add the rice. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 5
Dice Century Eggs
Peel the century eggs. Cut them into small cubes.
- 6
Add First Half of Eggs
Add half of the diced century eggs to the boiling congee. They will melt slightly, flavoring the whole pot.
- 7
Simmer until Silky
Simmer for another 15 minutes until the congee is thick and the grains are fully broken down.
- 8
Stir in Pork
Turn the heat up slightly. Quickly stir in the marinated pork slivers.
- 9
Cook Pork
Cook for just 2-3 minutes until the pork turns white and is just cooked through.
- 10
Add Remaining Eggs
Stir in the remaining half of the century eggs to provide distinct bites of egg.
- 11
Season
Taste and adjust with salt and plenty of white pepper.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Ladle into bowls, top with the remaining julienned ginger and scallions, and serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Century eggs have a strong alkaline flavor. Boiling half of them into the porridge early mellows out the flavor and gives the congee a beautiful savory depth.
- Always slice the pork against the grain and use the cornstarch marinade so it stays velvet-soft.
Variations
- Salted Duck Egg: Add half a salted duck egg yolk for extra richness.
- Add Greens: Stir in shredded lettuce or spinach right before serving.
Nutrition Estimate
310 calories · 16g protein · 40g carbs · 8g fat · 1g fiber per serving
