Watch Daddy Lau teach us how to make congee, a classic Chinese rice porridge dish. Also known as jook in Cantonese (as well as juk, zhou, and many other names), this is a staple of many Asian cuisines.

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🍴 RECIPE + INGREDIENTS🍴

Check out our blog for an adjustable list of ingredients and step-by-step videos:
https://madewithlau.com/recipes/chicken-congee

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📽 WATCH NEXT 📽
- Mapo Tofu, Cantonese Style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O59yp2y_Rw&&list=PLvd5bo3J-_kq4FcYVCOK6ZR87dCGDqrSH&index=2&t=0s

- Ginger Egg Fried Rice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBScXlydaa8&&list=PLvd5bo3J-_kq4FcYVCOK6ZR87dCGDqrSH&index=2&t=0s

- Egg Flower Soup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYfKOmR23f0&&list=PLvd5bo3J-_kq4FcYVCOK6ZR87dCGDqrSH&index=2&t=0s

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📙 THE STORY 📙

Now retired, my dad has over 50 years of experience as a Chinese chef. Everything he makes is SO GOOD. You won't regret trying this recipe!

Congee / jook was one of my favorite things to eat growing up.

My parents used to make this for breakfast for me and my sister as we got ready for school, and they'd always have a week's worth of congee for us when we got sick.

The word "congee" was derived from from the Tamil language of Ancient India, "kanji". In Cantonese, we call it "jūk" (which kinda sounds like "jook"), but there are many, many different variations and names for it across Asia.

Even though congee is commonly known as a rice porridge, it wasn't always the case. With thousands of years of history in China, congee was made with whatever grains were available locally: millet, cornmeal, barley, and etc.

Interestingly, in Chinese tradition, it’s considered a bad omen to eat jook on Chinese New Year.

When I asked my parents about it, my mom explained that in the “old old days, many people didn't enough rice to eat. Using relatively small amounts of rice, they made big pots of congee to make their rice last longer.”

She said that, “the rich ate cooked rice, the poor ate jook.” and that congee is not a high class food.

But, my dad quickly chimed in: “This is not true - if cooked with high-class ingredients, porridge is a high-class meal.”

Historical accounts show that congee was enjoyed across all walks of life, from emperors to everyday people.

It's also an ideal food for babies - my mom started feeding us congee when we turned 1, and it's certainly something that we'll enjoy feeding our newborn son very soon!

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⏲ CHAPTERS ⏲

00:00 - Intro
00:12 - Congee & Chinese New Year
00:39 - History of Congee
01:34 - Wash rice
01:58 - Boil water, chop veggies
02:35 - Prepare chicken
03:45 - Start boiling rice
05:32 - Cover pot & wait
06:27 - Whisk rice
07:16 - Start cooking chicken
07:58 - Add flavors, ginger
08:11 - Plate
08:54 - Meal Time!
10:04 - The meaning of “waaht”
10:36 - Mommy + Daddy Lau’s childhood jook
12:42 - Life in China
14:21 - Jook at restaurants, in China
16:44 - Mommy Lau & Baby Cam say bye!

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🍜 MY DAD'S SPECIAL INGREDIENTS 🍜

If you don't have access to an Asian grocery store, you can purchase these items on Amazon:

- Chicken Bouillon: https://amzn.to/3iTr9ll
- Kikkoman Oyster Sauce: https://geni.us/kkmoystersauce

You'll also need a whisk for this recipe: https://amzn.to/3ncT1mv

Here are some of the other core ingredients my dad uses (but not for this dish):
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine: https://amzn.to/3hY9rMA
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/kkmsoysauce
- Kikkoman Sesame Oil: https://geni.us/kkmsesameoil
- Chicken Bouillon: https://amzn.to/3iTr9ll

These links are affiliate links, which means that if you use our links to purchase these ingredients, Amazon pays my family a small amount for the sale - at no extra cost to you. If you use these links, we really appreciate the support!

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💛 OUR FAMILY 💛

Learn more about the Lau family, and why we started this channel + blog:
https://madewithlau.com/family

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🎵 OTHER CREDITS 🎵

Intro Flute Music - Performed by Daddy Lau
Copyright Chillhop Music - https://chll.to/49e6fa9c
Copyright Chillhop Music - https://chll.to/4ca8cc15

Overhead Camera Rig built by P.Oak - https://www.instagram.com/p.oak.co/

Chinese Subtitles by Wynee Pan - https://www.instagram.com/gotchacafenyc