liuzhou

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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Chicken with dates, black garlic, green olives, ras-el-hanout, chilli and basil with couscous.

蜜枣 （mì zǎo）- candied jujubes (Chinese dates)

I often set the timer for various cooking options. My trouble is remembering to start the timer after setting it. 20 minute boiled eggs, anyone?

All the frogs I can buy round here are sold live. Every market and supermarket has them. They are wild and mostly live in the local rice paddies. They are also extensively farmed in China (usually in rather appalling conditions) and most are exported - tonnes to France who have already eaten all their own frogs. That said, the largest exporter of frogs is Indonesia. I have never seen farmed frogs in any supermarket in China.

Can't answer your first question, but for the 2nd, I'd say it depends on the rice. Different rices need different ratios depending on how you are cooking it, the variety, the age etc. Every time I can't get my go to brand, I have to experiment, but basically, I use a rice cooker, pour in my washed rice then add water to cover the rice to the depth of my forefinger up to the first knuckle. Never measured the ratio. Sometimes I have to go a little heavier with the water; sometimes less.

Spicy, buttery, lemony, fried wild shrimp with morels. Served over orzo with Chinese chives.

Coincidentally, I had frog hotpot for dinner last night. The restaurant in question only does this one dish for sharing. Plus sides.

Yes. And watermelons.