Congee with ground pork

One first spoon, the taste of rice reminds me of the rice paddy fields that I always saw during the harvesting season. 

The second spoon, the taste of ground pork, reminds me of my childhood, when I woke up early in the morning to go to the market with my nanny and was taught how to choose the most fresh-looking meat with the juiciest flavor. The Vietnamese traditional markets in my memory are so much different from the markets in America. 

The third spoon, the flavor of nuoc mam (fish sauce) reminds me of Vietnamese food. Fish sauce plays a significant role in seasoning the food and tinges dishes with true Southeast and East Asian flavor. 

As a person who was born and raised in Vietnam, I grew up eating rice and learned to cook various dishes that can be made from rice. Congee with ground pork, which is called Cháo thịt lợn/heo băm in my native language, is the most delicious and homely dish that I often eat whenever I feel sick or am just missing my homeland’s flavor. 

I also like to have congee for my daily meals because it is digestible and has lots of water with nutrients. If people treat themselves by going to concerts or buying new products, I personally eat good food like congee to show love to myself and my health. A hot bowl of congee can comfort anyone on cold winter days.

Servings: 10 bowls 

Ingredients

• 150 g white rice grains
• 1500 mL [about 6 ⅓ cups] water
• 15 g mung beans (soak for at least two hours and drain the water)
• Kosher salt
• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tsp vegetable oil 
• ¼ tsp soy sauce
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 3 scallions (thinly sliced)
• 150 g ground pork (half-cooked) 
• shallot (thinly sliced) (optional)
• Sheets of edible seaweed (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash and drain white rice.
2. Add 150 mL [about ⅔ cup] water, mung beans and rice into a pot and heat on high. Bring water to a boil and stir the mixture and add 500 mL more water. Heat on medium-high and stir every 10 minutes.
3. In a frying pan, add vegetable oil and heat on high. When the oil is hot, heat on medium-high and add shallots. 
4. Add half-cooked ground pork, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, soy sauce and fry until fully cooked. 
5. Add 500mL water [about 2.1 cups] and cooked ground pork into congee pot and stir. Cover and heat on medium-low.
6. Simmer for about two hours until you get the smooth texture. Stir every 10 minutes to make sure the bottom does not burn.
7. Add 350mL [about 1.5 cups] water, salt, black pepper, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and sliced scallions to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes.
8. When ready to serve, pour the congee into individual bowls and enjoy while still hot with toppings like edible seaweed.

Chúc ngon miệng!

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