Seafood Congee
Silky rice porridge infused with ginger, topped with tender shrimp and scallops. A comforting, elegant one-pot dish that comes together in under an hour.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 8 cups chicken stock or seafood stock, low-sodium
- 3 inches fresh ginger, unpeeled
- 4 whole dried shiitake mushrooms
- ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ pound large sea scallops
- 4 whole scallions, fresh
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, toasted
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
Rinse 1 cup of jasmine rice under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer, stirring gently with your fingers until the water runs mostly clear — this removes excess starch so the congee becomes creamy rather than gluey.
- 2
With the back of a knife or a meat mallet, gently crush a 3-inch piece of unpeeled fresh ginger so it cracks and releases its oils — don't peel it, as the skin adds flavor and color to the broth.
- 3
Place 4 dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot water from the kettle. Let sit for 10 minutes until soft, then drain, discard the stems, and slice the caps into thin strips.
- 4
Pat 0.5 pound of large shrimp completely dry with paper towels and set aside on a plate. Do the same for 0.5 pound of large sea scallops — dry seafood will cook faster and more evenly.
- 5
Trim the root end from 4 scallions. Slice them in half lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Keep the white and light green parts separate from the dark green tops — you'll use them at different stages.
- 6
Pour 8 cups of low-sodium chicken or seafood stock into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the crushed ginger and the rinsed jasmine rice. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally — this takes about 10 minutes.
- 7
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the sliced shiitake mushroom caps. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. The rice grains will slowly break down and thicken the broth into a creamy porridge — you should see small clouds of rice rising through the liquid.
- 8
Taste the congee and stir in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 0.25 teaspoon of white pepper. Add the white and light green scallion pieces. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer.
- 9
Gently slide the 0.5 pound of shrimp and 0.5 pound of scallops into the simmering congee. Stir gently with a wooden spoon — they will sink at first. Poach them for 3–4 minutes, just until the shrimp turn opaque pink and the scallops are firm to the touch. Overcooking toughens seafood, so watch closely.
- 10
Remove the congee from heat. Taste and add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Stir until well combined and adjust seasoning if needed — the congee should taste savory and aromatic.
- 11
Ladle the congee into four deep bowls, making sure each serving gets shrimp, scallops, and mushrooms. Discard the ginger piece.
- 12
Scatter the reserved dark green scallion tops and 0.25 cup of fresh cilantro leaves over each bowl. Drizzle lightly with additional sesame oil if desired. Serve immediately while steaming hot.
Tools you’ll need
- fine-mesh strainer
- small bowl
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- wooden spoon
- instant-read thermometer
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- deep serving bowls
- ladle
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