liuzhou

Here's another of those non-existent non-noodle Chinese pasta shapes. Multi-coloured couscous. Coloured with beet, spinach and pumpkin.

You can use any type of rice. I prefer long grain. Usually Thai jasmine rice. In fact, as I've shown many congees don't even use rice at all.

Some more premixed congee ingredients. 冰粥 (bīng zhōu) - Ice Congee. As the name suggests, this is served cold, often with added fruit. popular in Vietnam, too. 核桃红枣莲子粥 (hé táo hóng zǎo lián zi zhōu) - walnut, red jujube and lotus seed congee. 绿豆百合粥 (lǜ dòu bǎi hé zhōu) - Green mung bean, lily seed congee. 荞麦莲子粥 (qiáo mài lián zi zhōu) - buckwheat and lotus seed congee. 八宝粥 (bā bǎo zhōu) - Eight treasure congee. This is very popular. The eight treasures vary (and may not even be just eight) but include peanuts,, red jujubes, mung beans, red beans, corn, dried longan, walnut, Job's tears, millet, white kidney beans, lotus seeds and many more.

The original meaning of congee was the water rice rice had been boiled in, which was used for invalids and as a source of starch. The 'porridge' usage came much later.

It's nothing like risotto.

That's true for fried rice.

Yes. Freshly made is better, of course, but what you suggest is quite common.

Me too until I looked closer.

Here are a few congee places near my home. All within comfortable walking distance. The first is a place I used to frequent a lot, but haven't been in a while. No real reason. Just got out of the habit. A very typical, small restaurant. The sign on the left hand wall reads 粉 (fěn) meaning 'rice noodles' 面 (miàn) meaning 'wheat noodles' 粥 (zhōu) meaning 'congee' the three main items they sell. A bit further along I see this sign on a wall. 百粥 (bǎi zhōu) meaning '(plain) white congee' 玉米粥 (yù mǐ zhōu) meaning 'corn congee' For obvious reasons I give that a miss. Yet further on is this slightly more upmarket establishment. Among its selection is 皮蛋瘦肉粥 (pí dàn shòu ròu zhōu) or 'century egg and lean pork congee'. 现煮墨鱼粥 (xiàn zhǔ mò yú zhōu）or 'cuttlefish congee'. 现煮海虾粥 (xiàn zhǔ hǎi xiā zhōu) or 'sea shrimp congee'. Nearby is another small place which only has outdoor seating (not virus related - it has never had indoor facilities except for the kitchen.) Here is the main communal table with all the condiments you could want for your plain congee. Mainly pickled vegetables of various sorts. Finally, I spotted this is one store I visited. 杂粮粥 (zá liáng zhōu) or 'mixed grain congee'. The grains involved are corn, white rice, black rice, and red Japonica rice. Note: Very few Chinese speakers of English know the word 'congee'. After all, it is neither Chinese or English, but of Indian origin, probably Tamil or Urdu. Most people here simply call it 'porridge' when using English.

Although I can see why, I find it interesting that people call farfalle "bowties". Both the Italian and Chinese names mean "butterflies".

Because you haven't seen them doesn't mean they don't exist! They are everywhere!

Here's KFC's attempt.

红豆薏仁养生粥 (hóng dòu yì rén yǎng shēng zhōu) - Red Beans and Job's Tears Healthy Congee Mix.

Chinese 'pasta' also comes in many different shapes. Some very similar to Italian varieties. 蝴蝶面 or Farfalle? 彩色蝴蝶面 or Coloured Farfalle? 通心粉 or Macaroni? 刀削面 or Maltagliati These are just what I happen to have at home. There are many more.

Even McDonalds sells congee in China. These are their breakfast offerings. Left to right: Pickled vegetable, bamboo shoot and chicken congee. (酸菜脆笋鸡肉粥), Century egg and chicken congee. (皮蛋鸡肉粥) and Salted egg yolk and chicken congee.(咸蛋黄鸡丝粥).

See here.

Sure do. It is very popular and although it is often made at home, it is also sold all over the city in restaurants ranging from hole-in-the-wall shacks to classy joints. There are also a number of people selling it from hand carts early in the mornings. That said, it is not only a breakfast item. People eat it at any time. I've even been served it at banquets. Known as 粥 (zhōu) or sometimes 稀饭 (xī fàn, literally 'watery rice'), it is most often simply rice boiled in water, although stocks are used in the more upmarket places. It is unsalted and intended to be a neutral background for accompaniments such as pickled vegetables, Chinese sausage, fermented tofu in chilli, dried daikon radissh, bamboo shoots in chilli oil, peanuts, pickled young ginger, pickled celtuce stem, or salted duck eggs. The list is almost endless. And some people prefer just to eat it unadorned (白粥 - bái zhōu, literally 'white porridge'). Meat congees are also popular as are sweet congees. The latter are made from a variety of grains and beans. Here is the menu from one of my favourite places. Translation: Congee / Porridge: Frog congee Pig Offal congee Fish congee Beef congee Chicken congee Preserved egg and lean pork congee Lean pork and leaf mustard congee Rice field eel congee Sweet congees Mung bean congee Eight treasure congee Peanut, silver ear fungus, jujube and mung bean congee Home made chicken congee Supermarkets sell premixed grains in various combinations for the sweet congees. I have to go to one of the larger supermarkets later today. I'll take some more pictures and get details of what's in the mixes.

But a cheap electronic scale and set it to metric. You'll soon get used to the more accurate measurements.

Red curried pork with chick peas and basil.

Anyway, 凉皮 (liáng pí) is the first thing I order in my local Xi'an restaurant. In fact, I don't even have to ask for it. They know me well and bring it automatically!

No. 凉 (liáng) means "cold". 皮 (pí) means "skin". 凉粉 (liáng fěn) means "cold noodles".

If made from wheat, I would say it's 凉皮 (liáng pí). 凉粉 (liáng fěn), although similar, is made from beans - usually mung beans.

Simple lunch. Tagliatelle with home made pesto and extra basil.

Duck, leek, mushroom and coriander leaf soup made with roast duck carcase stock. Dunking material to right.

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