I hope it’s been a good June for everyone. It’s been particularly cold in Vancouver so I have been firing up the stove for a lot of congee. For those who are new to congee — congee is the Asian version of chicken soup, for the soul, and so much more. A warm and nourishing meal known to boost your chi — congee is the remedy food for colds, flu, stomach aches, and bad days. It’s also a popular breakfast food for all ages and served in multiple flavors at congee noodle restaurants in Vancouver. 

This sweet potato congee is sentiment to Taiwan — the beautiful island I call home. Geographically shaped like a sweet potato — the Taiwanese take pride in what we call a “sweet potato spirit / 番薯精神”. A spirit determined to take root and bear fruit wherever we are planted, even in the harshest environments. A life force that propelled the island to prosperity in the early farming days.

In Taiwanese, one of the few words I know is “Muai” which means congee — a breakfast item I would request every time I visited grandma in South Taiwan. Cooked from leftover rice and served with a humble fried egg, soy sauce, and pickled vegetables — it was a breakfast to wake up to.

In Taiwan, there are plenty of restaurants that serve plain congee with a wide selection of dishes known as “清粥小菜” meaning “light congee, little dishes”. To make a congee spread — top with anything you like to eat. The possibilities are endless. 

Ideas for congee toppings:

• Fried eggs, or eggs any way

• Stir-fried vegetables

• Spicy cucumber fans

• Stir-fry lotus root

• Furikake

• Pork floss

• Braised tofu and vegetables in soy sauce

• Pickled cucumbers(I like 金蘭 Kamlan brand from T&T)

Sweet Potato Congee Recipe

Serves 2 to 3 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (short grain rice or jasmine rice for extra flavor)

• 10 cups water

• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces. 

Instructions

Rinse 1 cup of rice until the water runs clear. Soak for 1-hour or overnight. Drain and set aside. Peel and chop 1 medium sweet potato into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

1. Bring 10 cups of water to a boil, add the rice, cook and bring to a boil again. Adjust the heat to simmer and cook for 45 mins to 1-hour. Stirring the bottom of the pot constantly. Cook until the rice is mushy, softened, but still retains its shape.

2. Add the sweet potato and bring it to a boil for 5 mins. Cover the pot with a lid, turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. The heat from the rice will cook the sweet potato while keeping its shape, we don’t want it to get mushy here.

3. Serve and enjoy the congee while it’s hot. This sweet potato congee keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days.