East Asia Mainland China By porridge ( or in Standard Chinese),
Chinese languages across the south usually mean rice porridge, while in the north it may be
cornmeal porridge,
proso millet porridge,
foxtail millet porridge, or
sorghum porridge, reflecting the north–south divide of grain production. In northwest Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, fermented rice and millet porridge known as 酸粥 (
Jin Chinese: ) is popular. Rice and millet are soaked to allow fermentation, then water is drained to obtain porridge. The water is served as a drink, 酸米湯 (
Jin Chinese: ). The porridge is eaten with
pickles of turnips, carrots, radish or celery. When stirred-fried, the porridge is called 炒酸粥 (). The porridge may also be steamed into solids known as 酸撈飯 (). While the traditional grain is
proso millet, it is mixed with rice when available. Many folk idioms of sourness derive from this dish. In Shanghai, Suzhou and nearby, an iconic glutinous rice porridge topped by red bean paste, sweet olive syrup and brown sugar is 赤豆糊糖粥 (
Wu Chinese: ). Street hawking of this porridge is featured in a well-known
Wu Chinese nursery rhyme. Originating in
Guangdong,
century egg congee ( in
Cantonese) has become popular nationwide since the 2000s. It was first tested on the menu of
KFC in Shanghai in 2002 and later rolled out to all KFCs in mainland China and Taiwan. Century egg porridge ranked in the top ten in breakfast orders in almost every Chinese major city as far north as Harbin. Additional common regional ingredients include
salted duck eggs,
rousong,
zhacai,
pickled tofu,
mung beans and
organ meats (especially
pig liver).
Youtiao is served as a side dish in some Chinese cultures. Congee with multiple ingredients tends to be seen as expensive and festive congee, such as
Laba congee.
Taiwan In Taiwan, congee is known as in
Taiwanese Hokkien or in
Mandarin.
Sweet potato,
taro root, or
century egg is often added for taste. A famous congee dish in Taiwan is
milkfish congee.
Japan , or often is the name for the type of congee eaten in
Japan, which typically uses water to rice ratios of 5:1 or 7:1 and is cooked for about 30 minutes. There are recipes that use a water to rice ratio of up to 20:1.
Kayu may be made with just rice and water, and is often seasoned with salt.
Eggs can be beaten into it to thicken it. Toppings may be added to enhance flavour;
welsh onion,
salmon,
roe,
ginger, and
umeboshi (pickled plums) are among the most common.
Miso or
chicken stock may be used to flavor the broth. Most Japanese
electric rice cookers have a specific setting for cooking congee. In Japan, porridge – because it is soft and easily digestible – is regarded as a food particularly suitable for serving to the sick and elderly. For similar reasons, it is commonly the first solid food served to Japanese infants, being used to help with the transition from liquids to normally cooked rice, the latter being a major part of the
Japanese diet. A type of
kayu referred to as
nanakusa-gayu (, "seven herb porridge") is traditionally eaten on
7 January with special herbs that some believe protect against evils and invite good luck and longevity in the new year. As a simple, light dish,
nanakusa-gayu serves as a break from the many heavy dishes eaten over the
Japanese New Year.
Kayu is also used in
Shinto divination rituals. is a similar dish, which uses already cooked rice, rather than cooking the rice in the soup.
Korea () is a Korean porridge dish made by boiling
rice or other
grains or
legumes, such as
beans,
sesame,
nuts, and
pumpkin. is often eaten warm, especially as a morning meal, but is now eaten at any time of the day. Depending on the ingredients and consistency, can be considered as food for recuperation, a delicacy, or
famine food. It is also sold commercially by many chain stores in South Korea, and is a common takeout dish. The most basic form of , made from plain rice, is called (; 'rice porridge') or (; 'white porridge'). It is usually served with more flavorful side dishes, such as (salted seafood) and various types of
kimchi. There are more than forty varieties of mentioned in historical documents. Congee is eaten throughout Cambodia both in the countryside and in the cities. Congee can be eaten plain or with a variety of side dishes and toppings such as soy sauce, added to enhance taste, as well as dried salted fish or
fried breadsticks (, ). There are two main versions of congee: plain congee, and chicken congee (, ). It is usually eaten during the colder
dry season or when someone is sick. After the congee is prepared, a variety of toppings can be added to enhance the flavour such as bean sprouts, green onions, coriander, pepper, along with the dried fish and fried breadsticks on the side. The chicken congee is the same as plain congee but contains more herbs and chicken.
Indonesia '',
Indonesian chicken congee In
Indonesia, congee is called
bubur, and it is a popular breakfast food. Travelling
bubur ayam vendors frequently pass through residential streets in the morning selling the dish. A popular version is
bubur ayam, which is congee with shredded chicken meat. It is also served with many condiments, such as green onion, crispy fried shallot, fried soybean, Chinese crullers (
youtiao, known as in Indonesia), both salty and sweet soy sauce, and sometimes it is topped with yellow chicken broth and
kerupuk (Indonesian style crackers). Unlike some other Indonesian dishes, it is not spicy;
sambal or chili paste is served separately. Some food vendors serve
sate alongside it, made from quail egg or chicken intestine, liver, gizzard, or heart. On the north coast of
Bali, famously in a village called Bondalem, there is a local congee dish called
mengguh, a popular local chicken and vegetable congee that is spicier than common
bubur ayam and more similar to
tinutuan, using a spice mix of onions, garlic,
coriander seeds, pepper and chili. In another region of Indonesia, the city of
Manado in North Sulawesi, there is a very popular type of congee called
tinutuan, or also known as
bubur Manado (Manadonese porridge). It is rice porridge served with ample amount of vegetables. A bit different from the one sold in Java, it is made from rice porridge, enriched with vegetables, including
kangkung (
water spinach), corn kernels, yam or sweet potato, dried salted fish,
kemangi (
lemon basil) leaves and
melinjo (
Gnetum gnemon) leaves. In the eastern parts of Indonesia, the local congee is called
papeda, which is made from
sago flour. It is a staple food of
Maluku and
Papuan people. Usually, it is eaten with yellow soup made from
tuna or
mubara fish spiced with
turmeric and lime.
Laos In
Laos, congee is called
khao piak, literally "wet rice" (, ). It is cooked with rice and chicken broth or water. The congee is then garnished with fried garlic, scallions and pepper. The dish will sometimes be served with chicken, quail eggs,
century eggs or
youtiao. In Laos, congee is usually eaten as breakfast and during the cold season.
Malaysia In Malaysia, congee is known as porridge or bubur.
Philippines ''Lugaw na tokwa't baboy
, rice gruel with tokwa at baboy'' (
tofu and pork, commonly referred to as "LTB") '', chicken rice gruel with
ginger,
scallions, toasted
garlic, and
safflower|alt=Golden yellow porridge garnished with scallions and fried bits
Lugaw (pronounced ) is the
Filipino generic term for rice gruel. It encompasses a wide variety of dishes, ranging from savory dishes very similar to Chinese-style congee to dessert dishes. In the
Visayan regions, savory
lugaw are known as
pospas.
Lugaw typically use
glutinous rice (Tagalog:
malagkit; Visayan:
pilit). It is usually thicker than other Asian congees, retaining the shape of the rice, yet with a similar texture. Savory versions of
lugaw are flavored with
ginger and traditionally topped with
scallions and toasted
garlic. Dried red
safflower (
kasubha) may also be used as a topping, mainly as a visual
garnish and to impart a more appealing yellow tinge to the dish. As with Japanese
kayu,
fish or
chicken stock may be used to flavor the broth. The most popular variants of
lugaw include
arroz caldo (chicken),
goto (beef tripe),
lugaw na baboy (pork),
lugaw na baka (beef), and ''lugaw na tokwa't baboy
(diced tofu and pork). Other versions can also use tinapa (smoked fish), palakâ
(frog legs), utak
(brain [of pig]), dilà
(tongue [of pig]), and litid
([beef] ligaments). They are traditionally seasoned with calamansi, fish sauce (patís
), soy sauce (toyò''), and
black pepper. It is often served to the ill and the elderly, and is favored among
Filipinos living in colder climates because it is warm, soft, and easy to digest. Dessert versions of
lugaw include
champorado (
lugaw with home-made chocolate topped with milk),
binignit (
lugaw in coconut milk with various fruits and root crops), and
ginataang mais (
lugaw with
sweet corn and coconut milk), among others. Like the savory versions, they are usually eaten for breakfast, but can also be eaten as a snack. In
Hiligaynon-speaking areas,
lugaw may refer to
binignit.
Singapore In
Singapore, Teochew porridge or Singapore-style porridge is a version of Singapore congee. In Singapore, it is considered a comfort food for both breakfast and supper. Teochew porridge dishes are often accompanied by various small plates of side dishes.
Thailand In
Thai cuisine, rice porridge, known as
Chok or
Jok (, , a loanword from
Min Nan Chinese), is often served as breakfast with a raw or partially cooked egg added. Minced pork or beef and chopped spring onions are usually added, and the dish is optionally topped with a small donut-like
pathongko, fried garlic, slivered ginger, and spicy pickles such as pickled radish. Although it is more popular as a breakfast dish, many stores specializing in
Jok sell it throughout the day. Variations in the meat and toppings are also frequently found. It is especially popular during Thailand's cool season. Plain congee, known as
khao tom kui (), is served at specialty restaurants, which serve a multitude of side dishes to go with it, such as
yam kun chiang (a
Thai salad made with sliced dried Chinese sausages),
mu phalo (pork stewed in soy sauce and
five-spice powder),
mu nam liap (minced pork fried with chopped
Chinese olives), and
pla rak kluai thot krob or
pla rak kluai thot kratiam (deep-frying or frying with garlic
horseface loach). Notable
Jok eateries in Bangkok can be found in areas like
Bang Rak on
Charoen Krung, home to Jok Prince which received the
Bib Gourmand from Michelin Guidebook,
Talat Noi in
Chinatown beside
Wat Traimit near
Hua Lamphong, and the Chok Chai neighbourhood in
Lat Phrao, where the dish is available 24 hours a day.
Khao tom kui is found in areas, such as the
Yaowarat and
Wong Wian Yi Sip Song Karakadakhom (July 22 Circle). In a popular reference within the 2011 US comedy film
The Hangover Part II set in Thailand,
Jok is described as being a food for ″small babies and very old people″ with ″no taste″ that is nourishment ″everybody can digest″. The reference is used to describe the character of the protagonist Stu Price (portrayed by
Ed Helms).
Vietnam In Vietnam, congee () is sometimes cooked with
pandan leaves or Asian
mung bean. In its simplest form (plain rice
porridge, known as
cháo hoa), it is a food for times of famine and hardship to stretch the rice ration. Alternately, as is especially common among Buddhist monks, nuns and lay persons, it can be a simple breakfast food eaten with pickled vegetables or
fermented bean curd (
chao). Despite its ubiquity among the poor, it is also popular as a main dish when cooked with a variety of meats. For example,
cháo gà is cooked with chicken, garlic, and ginger. The rice porridge is cooked in chicken broth, and when the chicken is cooked, the meat is sliced and layered on a bed of shredded raw
cabbage and sliced
scallions and drizzled with a vinegar-based sauce to be eaten as a side dish. Other combinations include
cháo vịt (duck porridge), which is cooked in the same manner as chicken porridge.
Cháo lòng heo is made with
lòng heo, a variety of
offal from pork or duck with sliced portions of congealed pork blood.
Cháo is typically served with
quẩy on the side. is a congee containing pig
kidney (). A specialty of the
Hóc Môn District in
Ho Chi Minh City, it is typically eaten in rural areas of southern Vietnam. Well-known vendors include , , and . Another typical Vietnamese dish is , a congee with mushrooms.
Youtiao is usually added to congee especially at congee vendors. It is also common to eat
cháo when ill, as it is believed the porridge is easy to digest while being fortifying. For such purposes, the
cháo is sometimes cooked with roasted white rice, giving the porridge broth a more nuanced body and a subtle, nutty flavor. In some parts of Vietnam, local customs call for making
cháo as offerings for the "wandering souls" during the Buddhist
Vu Lan summer feast.
South Asia Tamil Nadu Kanji is a popular dish in the state of
Tamil Nadu. Among the working classes, it is a staple nourishing breakfast dish, although consumed often for lunch and dinner as well. In addition, all classes regard kanji as an excellent food during convalescence, for its ability to be easily digested. The different kinds of kanji in Tamil Nadu includes rice kanji (the most popular): variations of this include sweet rice kanji (milk and sugar/jaggery added to the cooked rice soup) or salt rice kanji (buttermilk and salt added to the rice soup); wheat kanji, mung bean kanji, ragi/millet kanji, multi-grain kanji.
Karnataka In
Karnataka, a plain rice porridge, or the thick supernatant water from overcooked rice, is known as (). Kanji is also prepared with different grains available in different parts of
Karnataka, for example minor millet or pearl millet, finger millet, broken wheat, maize. In coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of
Karavali region of Karnataka state,
Ganji made from parboiled or red, brown or white rice was the staple food of most inhabitants of those districts. A special type of Ganji is prepared on the occasion of Dwadashi in Tulu-speaking
Shivalli Brahmin households. Even today still many households in those districts have Ganji as staple food. In
Kerala, it is eaten as a porridge with green lentils or chutney. is prepared with rice or
ragi. Nuts and spices are added to the depending on the economic status or health requirements. Rice is prepared by boiling rice in large amounts of water. To this preparation, either milk and sugar (usually
jaggery) or curd (yoghurt) and salt are added. is prepared by drying sprouts in shade, and then grinding them into a smooth powder. This powder is added to water and cooked. Milk and brown sugar are added to this cooked preparation for taste. can be given to infants after six months. Another kanji preparation uses (
sago) in . Sago is dry roasted and powdered with/ without sugar. Powdered sago is boiled in water until cooked. This is eaten by all ages from adults to infants as young as three months.
Maharashtra In the Konkan region of Maharashtra in India, congee is known as , is a home remedy for treating a fever as it is easy to digest. The farming and manual labour community of the same region, on the other hand, consume it on a daily basis in the late morning as a source of energy. Variants of the dish include () which is made with ragi and rice, or is a sweeter version which is made with rice,
fenugreek and jaggery, which is usually served to a nursing mother. The rice here is usually eaten boiled, with dry fish, vegetables or pickles.
Western Karnataka and Goa In
Goa state and
Udupi and
Dakshina Kannada districts, people usually eat rice in a variant manner made by
Kannada-speaking,
Tulu-speaking or
Konkani people in and around Udupi and Mangalore (
Karnataka,
South India). There,
parboiled rice ( in Kannada, for black rice, for white rice in Tulu or in Konkani) is steamed with a large amount of water.
Jain ganji matt are famous in these districts. Usually, simple
ganji with pickle and milk are served, in
Jain matts. Fresh coconut is grated, and the resulting milk skimmed and added to the
ganji (called
paez or pyaaz in Konkani), which is served hot with fish curry, coconut
chutney, or
Indian pickles. In Goa, it is normally served with dried or fresh cooked fish,
papad or vegetables.
Kerala In the Indian state of
Kerala, used to be considered as a main course, particularly for dinner, by the majority. This is normally taken with roasted coconut chutney, tossed
mung bean known locally as , roasted (lentil crackers), (a side dish consisting mainly of root tubers/underground stems, especially during
Thiruvathira); sometimes coconut scrapings are also added to the kanji to increase the flavour. The royal households as well as rich people used to have a special kind of called as (lit. 'milk congee') where milk was substituted for water base. During the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam, a medicinal is made using
Ayurvedic herbs, milk and jaggery. Karkkidakam is known as the month of diseases since the
monsoon starts during Karkkidakam. is eaten to promote the immune system. Some households of Kerala used to re-cook leftover rice and all available leftover curries into congee water and take as a mix-mash dish known as (old congee). means old congee (leftover from the previous day). It is not necessarily re-heated with leftover curries. According to the Indian writer
Madhur Jaffrey, is, or derives from, a Tamil word for "boiling"—which refers to the porridge and also to any water in which rice has been cooked. Muslims of south India especially
Tamil Muslim,
Mappila and
Beary prepare special congee during
Ramadhan called (lit. 'fasting porridge'). This is prepared by adding spices like turmeric, dry ginger, pepper, onion, and coconut paste to the congee. Sometimes fenugreek seeds are added to it to enhance the flavour.
Andhra Pradesh In the state of
Andhra Pradesh, it is called
ganji in
Telugu. Ganji is made by boiling rice in large amounts of water and then the filtered liquid is known as Ganji. Ganji mixed with buttermilk is believed to add to the flavor, and is also suggested by doctors for patients with ailing health.
Odisha Kaanji is a traditional
Odia dish. It is a soup-based dish like
dal, but tastes a little sour. It is made of rice starch fermented for a few days in an earthen pot. This is considered a healthy dish as many winter vegetables are used as main ingredients. It is seasoned with mustard seeds and turmeric and served hot..
Pakhala is a separate dish with certain similarities to the congee. In the Buddhist Yāgu Sutta of the Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN 5.207), the Buddha recommends eating rice porridge, "yāgu": "There are these five benefits in rice porridge. What five? It stills hunger, dispels thirst, settles wind, cleans out the bladder, and promotes the digestion of the remnants of undigested food. These are the five benefits of rice porridge.".
Sri Lanka In
Sri Lanka, several types of congee are known as
kenda in
Sinhalese. Sinhala people use congee as a breakfast, a side dish, an accessory to indigenous medical therapies, and a sweet.
Kenda can be prepared with many ingredients, including rice, roasted rice, rice flour, finger millet flour, sago, coconut milk, herbs, tubers,
kitul flour, and mung bean. When it is prepared with rice and water only, it is known as
hal kenda. If salt is added to bring a much saltier taste, it is known as
lunu kenda, a dish commonly used as a supplementary diet in purgation therapy in indigenous medical traditions. If roasted rice is used, the congee becomes
bendi hal kenda, used to treat diarrheal diseases. If rice flour and coconut milk are the main ingredients, such congee is known as
kiriya. If finger millet flour and water is used, it is known as
kurakkan anama. If coconut milk is added, the dish is called
kurakkan kenda. If sago is used, such congee is known as
sawu kenda. A special type of congee prepared from the byproducts of coconut oil production is known as
pol kiri kenda. There are many varieties of
kola kenda, congee with herbs as an ingredient; sometimes, a
vaidya or
veda mahttaya (a physician trained in indigenous medical traditions) might prescribe a special type of
kola kenda, known under such circumstances as
behet kenda. Sinhala villagers use specific tubers for preparing congee, such as
Diascorea species tubers. If
kitul flour is mixed with boiling water and coconut milk added to it, this special type of congee is known as
kitul piti kenda.
Kenda prepared with mung beans is known as
mung eta kenda. Most of the time,
kiriya,
kurakkan kenda,
sawu kenda,
pol kiri kenda and
kitul piti kenda are used as sweets. Sugar, candy, dates, raisins, cashew nut, jaggery, and treacle are among the ingredients that may be added to sweeten these congees. Congee is also eaten by
Sri Lankan Moors for
iftar during
Ramadan. It is also occasionally made with oats.
Tamils and
Moors in Sri Lanka call it (rice ) and may use chicken or beef for it. It is just as often made with milk (
paal kanji), and there are many other combinations with appropriate prefixes in Tamil; one very special type is Chithirai kanji, Chithirai being the Tamil month coinciding with April/May, made for a festival in this month. It is a salty simple kanji with green chilis, onions and coconut milk.
Nepal In Nepal, congee is known as
jaulo, it can be prepared by mixing pulses like moong or red lentil, or plain with salt and lots of water. It is tempered with fenugreek seeds and ghee. It is considered a light food which is why it eaten in sick days or as light supper.
Maldives Baipen is a bland rice porridge from the Maldives. During
Ramadan,
Maldivian Muslims break their fast with baipen and
Rihaakuru. It is eaten with
maskurolhi, a spicy tuna and coconut
sambal. Baipen can be made savory or sweet depending on the occasion, and its preparation varies regionally. In
Eydhafushi, baipen is fermented for a week before consumption. It is known as 'Honihiru baipen' (Saturday rice porridge) since it is consumed on Saturday.
The Americas Caribbean Tamil Community Among the
Indo-Caribbean Tamil Community, a dish called "Kandji" or "Kanchi" is made with
rice,
chickpeas,
black eyed peas,
onions, grated
coconuts, and
salt. It is traditionally eaten after a
puja and is traditionally offered to Kali Amman (a syncretic mix of
Mariamman and
Kali), the main goddess of the Caribbean Tamil Community (see also:
Caribbean Shaktism). The ingredients are traditionally gathered from begging door to door and then preparing the dish in the temple's complex.
Europe Hungary In
Hungary, it is called , a traditional
Hungarian food in the Hungarian population of Upper-Hungary (today
Slovakia) and is also used as strudel filling.
Portugal In
Portugal, a traditional soup made of rice and chicken meat is named
canja or
canja de galinha. The Portuguese had likely picked up the dish from their colonies in Western/Southern India or Sri Lanka; where the soup remains a staple (particularly for the ill). The rice is not cooked for as long as in Asian congee, so it is very soft, but not disintegrated. Traditionally, a boiling fowl containing small, immature eggs is used; the eggs are carefully boiled and served in the
canja. This soup is sometimes served with a fresh
mint leaf on top. Strongly valued as comfort food, it is traditionally given to people recovering from disease, as in Asia, and in some regions of Portugal, there is even a custom of feeding the mother a strict diet of
canja in the first weeks after childbirth. It is also eaten traditionally in Brazil and Cape Verde, former Portuguese colonies. == See also ==