Cheap and Easy Slow Cooker Congee

Eating on the cheap is not an easy thing to do. However, if you’re careful, make a commitment not to waste anything and are a little patient, you can do it spectacularly.

This congee is usually served in Asia as a breakfast food, but I’ll eat it any time of the day. It’s my favorite thing when I’m not feeling well, because it’s easy on the stomach and it packs a lot of nutrition in. The method used here is a bit like making bone broth, except that you end up with a creamy rice soup. I’m having some for breakfast today because I’m not feeling well, and I’m having one of many nights where I cannot sleep. I’m making it on the stove top, but if you have a normal sleep schedule unburdened by the effects of antidepressants, cooking it in the slow cooker means you don’t have to worry about it boiling over or burning overnight. I find it also feels a lot safer to me, simply because the slow cooker cooks at a low temperature and has safety features to turn it off if something, god forbid, were to happen.

If you want a smoother congee, remember to stir it a couple times when you get up to use the bathroom. You need bones or broth to make it. You can get bones by saving them from things you eat, or sometimes stores sell chicken bones and backs left over from busting down chickens for sale. Sometimes they even sell the feet, which really inject a lot of good stuff like gelatin into the food. Just make sure they’re clean! I have even been known to ask for a box in order to bring bones home from a restaurant. I get weird looks, but who cares? I paid for the food. When I'm really not feeling well, I make it with chicken OXO powder, but if you plan ahead you can make a bunch of bone broth all at once and freeze it. Other than that, it is virtually no effort. Here’s how to make it.

You’ll need...

• A slow cooker that will hold 10 cups (mine is a five quart, and it holds it alright). You can check before you waste ingredients by measuring 10 cups of water into your cooker.
• One cup of rice, un-soaked, long grain white rice works for me. I've heard of people using all different kinds, from sushi to basmati.
• Six cups of water (or stock if you don’t have bones.) If you're using OXO, remember that it is going to reduce down a lot and you may not want to put very much in at the beginning. Remember that you can always add more, but removing salt is almost impossible!
• Chicken or pork bones, or chicken or pork pieces. Some people use Ham bones for it, I've tried it once and loved it but in my house, the ham bone usually ends up in bean soup.
• A one-inch piece of ginger, sliced up or one tsp of powdered ginger
• Sliced carrots, about half a cup
• Sliced scallions (green onions) about a quarter of a cup OR you can use shallots.
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• Salt, as required. (I don’t cook with salt, so this was an afterthought for me!)

The method is really simple. Just put your rice in the bottom of your crock, and layer all of the other "dry" ingredients—the bones and veg and herbs—on top of that. When everything’s in there, pour your water or stock over top and put the lid on the crock pot. Turn it on low, and leave it to cook overnight, up to 12 hours. Usually, it's done in about eight, but the more you cook it, the smoother and creamier it gets. It's the same principle as risotto, but there's no dairy involved.

You can give it a stir every now and then, but unless your crockpot cooks really hot, it will probably be fine and not stick. If it’s too thick for your liking when you check it or in the morning, just add a little more liquid and stir it up. Make sure to let it get up to heat before you serve it. Take out the bones before you serve, if you used them. If you used pieces of meat, you should take them out, shred them up, and stir them back into the congee before you serve. If you want to add greens, like spinach or collard greens, or even horse radish leaves, this is the time to add them. If you do, give it another 15 to 20 minutes so the leaves can wilt properly. I find this to be the best time, because they seem to get a little slimy in texture by the end if I put them in at the beginning. But, like everything, it’s all to individual tastes. Honestly, what’s the point of cooking at home if you can’t have it as you like it?

Serve and enjoy! Oh and FYI, if you’re clogged up, it’s great to add a little hot sauce. ^^