With a little advanced prep-work, this Chinese multigrain congee recipe cooks up in minutes, not hours. Try this healthy alternative to traditional congee!
Soak the grains in water for 2 hours. You may choose to add in grains that don’t require soaking (e.g., if you’re including white rice). If so, those can be simply rinsed and added after the soaking process.
Wash and drain the grains. Put the washed rice in a resealable bag, and freeze for at least 8 hours before use.
When you’re ready to cook, you’ll need 4 cups of water for every cup of frozen multigrain mixture. Put everything in a pot with the lid on, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat with the lid on. Do not stir. Let the congee sit on the stove for 15 minutes.
During this time, the congee will continue to cook, and you won’t have to worry about it boiling over. After 15 minutes, turn the heat on high and bring to a boil again. Once boiling, turn off the heat and keep the lid on. Again, do not stir. Let it sit on the stove for 15 minutes, or until ready to serve.
At this point, the longer you wait, the thicker the congee becomes. I usually cook it in the morning and let it sit with the lid on. Then I reheat right before serving. This saves tons of time!
Notes
Some inactive prep time is required, but cooking time is 30 minutes!