Brown Rice Congee With Bacon And Kale

Congee is such a wonderfully comforting meal and easy to make. You can make this in various ways and they are all out of this world delicious. The rice is cooked down until it is soft and porridge-like and then you add your favorite toppings. It is so good, perfect for the colder winter months or when you are not feeling the best.

INGREDIENTS:

CONGEE
1 1/2 C. Brown Rice
10 to 12 C. Chicken Broth – low sodium
2 Green Onions – halved
1 1-Inch Piece Ginger – peeled
1 Clove Garlic – peeled
1/2 Tsp. Thyme
1/4 Tsp. Pepper

TOPPING
8 C. Kale – Chopped and stems removed
6-8 Slices Of Bacon – diced
2 Cloves OF Garlic – minced
1 Onion – thinly sliced
Salt And Pepper
1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes – or to taste
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot combine the rice, chicken broth, green onions, ginger, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Stir and bring the. mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 90 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add more broth 1/2 cup at a time if the mixture gets too thick at the end of the cooking time. You want the mixture to be porridge-like.
2. Remove the ginger and discard.
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat add the oil and bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.
4. Add the diced onion and cook until tender and soft.
5. Add the butter, kale, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until the kale is wilted and softened.
6. Add the minced garlic and bacon to the kale mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
8. Ladle the congee into bowls and spoon over the kale topping. Top with your favorite toppings.

TOPPINGS:

Fried Garlic Chips
Cilantro/Parsley
Hot Sauce of choice
Sesame Seeds
Green Onions/Scallions
Soft Boiled Egg/Hard Boiled Egg

• If you do not like kale you can use spinach or bok-choy. Both work really well in this dish and I have used both in this recipe.
• You can swap out the bacon or pork belly. We often do this as well. It will be more of a chewier texture than the crispness of the bacon but offer the same flavor profile.
• You can swap out the brown rice to white rice or wild rice. The white rice will break down more than the brown rice. The wild rice will hold its shape a bit more than the brown rice but will still cook down and you will have more of a bite with the wild rice. They all work so well. The white rice has a more clean taste while the brown rice and the wild rice have a more earthy flavor.