Garlic Mung Bean and Rice Congee Bowl

About This Recipe

Lentils aren't a traditional Chinese pantry staple, so this bowl is honestly built around mung beans, which are widely used in Chinese home cooking in soups, congee and sweet desserts. This savory version simmers rice and split mung beans together into a thick, spoonable congee, the low, slow cooking method used across China for breakfast and sick-day comfort food alike. The defining finishing touch is you sheung cong, crispy fried garlic and its infused oil, spooned generously over the top right before serving — that sizzling garlic oil is what turns a plain rice porridge into something craveable. A scatter of scallion, white pepper and a drizzle of soy sauce round it out. Congee's texture should be loose and creamy, almost like a savory oatmeal, achieved by simmering with plenty of extra water and stirring occasionally so the rice breaks down slowly rather than staying in separate grains.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 0.75 cupjasmine rice(rinsed)
• 0.5 cupsplit mung beans(rinsed)
• 8 cupswater or vegetable stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 5 tbspvegetable oil
• 6 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)
• 3scallions(sliced)
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 0.5 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the congee

   Combine rice, mung beans, water and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking, until thick and porridge-like.

2. 2

   Fry the garlic

   While the congee simmers, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and fry, stirring often, 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp.

   Watch the garlic closely near the end — it goes from golden to burnt within seconds once it starts to color.

3. 3

   Drain the garlic oil

   Remove garlic with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel and reserve the infused oil separately.

4. 4

   Adjust consistency

   Once the congee reaches a loose, creamy consistency, stir in soy sauce and white pepper. Add extra hot water if it's thicker than you like.

5. 5

   Assemble the bowl

   Ladle congee into bowls. Top generously with crispy garlic, a spoonful of the garlic oil, scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Variations

• •

  Add shredded poached chicken or century egg on top for a heartier, more traditional Cantonese-style bowl.

• •

  Stir in a spoonful of preserved mustard greens (zha cai) for a salty, tangy contrast.

• •

  For a dessert version, skip the salt and garlic and simmer the mung beans and rice with sugar and coconut milk instead.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; the congee thickens significantly when cold. Reheat over low heat, stirring in extra water or stock to loosen it back to a spoonable consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions