Vegetarian Style Congee Xi Fan Recipe Epicuriouscom

CONGEE WITH VEGETABLES AND FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Drain the rice and place it in a large pot with the sweet potato. Cut the lemongrass stalks in half horizontally and add them to the pot. Add the stock and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
• Remove the lid and increase the heat so the rice is bubbling. Remove the lemongrass and discard. Simmer, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking, until the rice is tender and has the consistency of a thick porridge, about 15 minutes more. Add the ginger in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the bok choy and cook until tender and wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.
• To serve, put the bok choy, scallions, cilantro, and nuts into small bowls. Ladle the porridge into bowls and let diners garnish it with the vegetables, nuts, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
• We know that brown rice has more nutrients than white rice, but aside from health concerns, white rice is put through many stages of processing, all requiring fossil fuels and chemicals. First, the germ and bran are removed to extend the length of time the rice can be stored; then synthetic vitamins are added back in; and finally, the rice is polished with water, glucose, or the mineral talc, which is known to cause stomach cancer. The taste of brown rice can take some getting used to, but cooked with fragrant seasonings like the ones in the congee recipe, it can please even the pickiest of palates.

VEGETARIAN-STYLE CONGEE (XI-FAN)

Steps:

• Heat a wok over high heat and add the oil.
• Stir-fry the garlic and ginger and Chinese mushrooms for less than 1 minute. Add the carrot, brown rice and whole grain mix. Stir-fry for less than 1 minute and add 4 cups boiling water.
• Let the rice cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring and adding up to a further 8 cups water to make sure the rice and grains are thoroughly cooked. Add the red bell pepper, stir well, and then pour in the vegetable stock. Finally add the bamboo shoots and season with the light soy sauce, sesame oil and ground black pepper. Sprinkle in the chopped cilantro and serve immediately.