Congee, Porridge & Oats · Chinese home cooking
Cod and Vegetable Congee
Flaky white cod is poached gently in a smooth rice congee with diced carrot and greens, so the fish stays in large, moist pieces rather than dissolving into the base.
About this dish
Fish and congee are a quiet pairing. The base is deliberately plain, just rice and water simmered until silky, so the cod has somewhere clean to sit. It goes in as thick portions near the end and poaches gently; stir too eagerly and it shreds into threads. Carrot and greens give colour without much flavour of their own. What you notice first is warm rice and ginger, then a faint sweetness from the fish. The cod is ready when it turns opaque and flakes at a nudge.
Before you start
Equipment: Pot. Tap the ingredient checkboxes as you go.
Method
6 steps · tick each one off as you finish it.
Boil the rice
Combine 180 g rinsed rice and 1400 ml water in a pot over high heat and boil for 8 minutes, stirring once, until the grains churn and a pale foam collects around the edge.
Simmer until silky
Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ginger, drop to low heat with the lid ajar and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the grains burst and the liquid turns creamy.
Soften the carrot
Stir 120 g diced carrot into the pot over medium heat and simmer for 7 minutes until the pieces soften and turn a deeper orange when pressed against the side with a spoon.
Poach the cod
Lower to a bare simmer, lay 250 g cod chunks on the surface over low heat and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes until the flesh turns opaque and flakes at the touch of a spoon.
Wilt the greens
Add 80 g shredded greens and 1 tbsp soy sauce over low heat for 2 minutes until the leaves slump and turn bright green, then switch off the heat and rest covered for 2 minutes.
Serve carefully
Ladle the congee into 3 bowls without breaking the fish, add 1 tsp sesame oil and 30 g scallions, rest for 1 minute, then serve when the cod is still steaming hot and holds its shape.
Tips that matter
- Use thick cod chunks and slide them onto the surface rather than stirring, so they stay in intact pieces.
- A light fish stock deepens the flavour, but salt it less because the soy sauce arrives at the end.
Easy variations
- Swap the cod for 250 g raw peeled prawns added for the last 3 minutes until they turn pink.
- Stir 60 g sweetcorn in with the carrot for a sweeter, more colourful bowl.
Questions that come up
My cod fell apart into shreds. What should I change?
It was stirred or cooked too long. Lay the chunks on top over low heat, do not stir, and pull the pot off the heat the moment the flesh turns opaque, about 5 minutes.
Can I use frozen cod?
Yes, but thaw it fully and pat it dry first, or the extra water will thin the congee. Add 1 extra minute to the poaching time and check that the centre is opaque.
Nutrition, roughly
| Energy | 280 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrate | 42 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
Estimated per serving from standard ingredients, rounded. Treat it as a guide, not clinical data.
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