A week ago, my husband came down with the flu and I knew the epidemic that is the Man-Flu was about to befall us. So aside from the usual Vitamin C, elderberries, water and lots of sleep, I wanted to make him something nutritious, easy on his sore throat and comforting to eat. If there’s one thing this husband of mine craves most while being sick, it’s the feeling of comfort and being taken care of. I mean, don’t we all? Though I tease him a lot for it, I find it quite endearing.

Below is the recipe I came up with after rummaging through our pantry and gathering everything I deemed has healing components. He finished the whole pot in 2 sittings when I intended for it to last a few days. And yes, the Man-Flu is no more.

Congee with lap cheong, soft boiled egg and mushroom

makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

1 cup rice

5 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

¼ cup ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise

½ cup dried lotus seeds

1 tbsp mushroom powder

1 link lap cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced diagonally

1 tbsp sesame oil

¼ cup dried wood ear mushroom

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp salt

4 jujubes (dried dates)

4 eggs

1 stalk of green onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

For the congee

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes.
Soak lotus seeds in boiling water for at least 2 hours. Drain and set aside.
In a pot over medium high heat, add the rice, chicken broth, water, ginger, lotus seeds and mushroom powder. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil for 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 60 minutes. Stir frequently.
If the congee becomes too thick or the water is evaporating too quickly while the rice has not fully cooked, add water (1 cup at a time) to the pot. Remember to stir the pot every 5 minutes or so to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
At the 60 minutes mark, add the jujubes and continue to cook covered for another 15 minutes.

For the garnish

Soak wood ear mushroom in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain, slice lengthwise and set aside.
While the rice is cooking, add the Chinese sausage and 2 tbsp of water to a pan over medium heat. Cook until the sausage is becoming semi-translucent in color and the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate pan over medium heat, combine sesame oil with wood ear mushroom and cook for 2-4 minutes. Season with sesame seeds, salt, soy sauce and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
To soft boil the eggs, add enough water in a pot to submerge them all. Bring the water to a boil then add the eggs. Cook for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat, soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Peel and set aside.

To serve

Pour congee in a bowl, garnish with mushroom, Chinese sausage, half an egg and green onion.

Good to know

The congee base is simple: rice and water. The rest of the flavoring is up to you, add whatever you want and go from there. The only thing to be mindful of is that you need to stir it frequently as it has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan if left alone for an extended period of time.

The thickness of the congee also depends on your preference. Some like their congee thicker, others like it thinner. Adjust your cooking time and water accordingly. Stop cooking once the rice is fully cooked and the congee is at your preferred consistency.

Dried lotus seeds are tricky as some are older than others – which impacts the time required to soften them while cooking. If you are unsure, you can soak them overnight before cooking.