Dried Scallop Chicken Congee (瑤柱雞粥 – Yiu Chu Gai Juk) Recipe

This is one of those really hearty low-maintenance recipes. Perfect for a cold day or if you're feeling under the weather.

You won't regret learning this one. It's a really traditional Chinese recipe. Culturally Chinese eat congee for breakfast, but really we say just eat it as and when you feel like it. This one you have to simmer for a while but it's really low maintenance.

Ingredients:

1lb chicken breast (whole)
5 dried scallops, soaked overnight (or with hot water for 1hr) (keep the soaking water!)
5 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked and sliced (keep the soaking water! Discard the stem, or freeze for soup later.)
2 cups rice
1 stalk green onion, chopped (green part for garnish, white part as marinade)

Marinade: 

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp cooking wine

Dash of white pepper

1 thumb sized ginger very finely sliced

White part of the green onion

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken breast with the above marinade for 15min.
2. Mix 1/2 tsp salt and a lug of oil with the rice and marinate at the same time. This helps to fluff up the rice in the congee.
3. Pull apart the soaked scallops by hand, discarding the small tough outer piece.
4. Add everything into the pressure cooker, including the mushroom and scallop soaking water (leaving out the bits at the bottom), except the green part of the green onion. Top it up with water just below “maximum”. Turn on the pressure cooker to “Congee” and “add time” (40min).
5. When the pressure cooker is done, decompress and bring the pot out onto the stovetop. Take out the chicken breast and easily shred it with chopsticks. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile, bring the congee to a boil and keep boiling for ~10min, stirring often so nothing sticks to the bottom, until you reach your desired consistency.
7. Serve in bowls with the chicken on top or mixed in, and garnish with green onion.