Chinese Porridge (Congee) with Pork and Century Egg

Name: Chinese Porridge with Pork and Century Egg
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: ¼ pound pork loin (tenderized and sliced); ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon sugar; ¼ teaspoon chicken bouillon; 1 teaspoon ginger (thinly sliced); 1 teaspoon corn starch; 1 tablespoon water; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 preserved thousand year old egg ((add more if you like)); marinated pork (use as much or little as you like); 4 cups water; ½ cup cooked rice ((jasmine rice or short grain rice)); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon; sliced ginger; sliced green onion

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You need to try making this easy Chinese Porridge (Congee) with Pork & Century Egg in under 30 minutes. This classic Chinese breakfast (known as jook in Cantonese) is inspired by Cantonese flavors meaning adding sliced pork and century eggs for a hearty breakfast.

Fried dough sticks and a bowl of Chinese porridge with pork and century egg garnished with ginger and green onions.

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Ingredients
Toppings:
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Chinese Porridge with Pork and Century Egg
Tips to Making a Perfect Congee
Recipe FAQs
Check Out More Chinese Recipes
Chinese Porridge with Pork and Century Egg
Additional Toppings:
Tips to Making a Perfect Congee

Ingredients

Here’s a look at what you need to make this Chinese porridge with pork and century egg. The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.

A cup of water, a bowl of sliced pork, a bowl of rice, a century egg, chopped green onions, and sliced ginger laid out on the table.

The marinated pork in this recipe gives most of the flavor to the congee. I recommend to use pork loin so the congee is not fatty as the dish is supposed to taste clean. The key to the tender pork is the corn starch and oil, so make sure you don’t substitute those ingredients.

Make sure to used cooked white rice (jasmine and short grain rice work great!). After making the congee to a nice thick consistency, we add in thousand year old duck egg. It is a dark black color, but don’t be alarmed. A thousand-year-old duck egg, or century egg, is a preserved egg treated with a mixture of clay, ash, salt, and quicklime, transforming the yolk into a creamy, umami-rich center and the white into a translucent, amber jelly.

Toppings:

Since Chinese porridge tastes pretty plain, we like to add lots of toppings to make it more interesting with texture and flavors. These toppings may be unknown to those who have not tried lots of Chinese cuisine. They are found at Asian grocery stores such as 99 Ranch and Hmart. Since they are unique, unfortunately most of these toppings are not found at most western grocery stores.

Youtiao – Fried dough stick that is crispy and chewy in the center. It can be bought pre-made and is available in many asian grocery stores.
Salted preserved vegetables – spicy and salty Chinese vegetables are fermented for a umami kick!
Salted Eggs – usually made from duck eggs. These eggs have a golden salty center with a different texture compared to regular eggs.
Pork Floss – made from minced pork, this is salty and stringy (a classic Chinese dish topping).
Crunchy salted peanuts

Substitutions and Variations

Instead of pork, you can substitute with chicken breast. The chicken will also be tender and flavorful if you use the same marinade.
If you don’t want to add the preserved thousand year old duck eggs (not actually 1000 years old lol), you can simply omit it. However, the congee will taste less traditional Chinese.
Add more toppings to this congee like shiitake mushroom or even fried garlic and shallots (more Vietnamese flavor). This will enhance the flavor of your congee!

How to Make Chinese Porridge with Pork and Century Egg

Tenderized and sliced pork, marinated in a glass bowl.

Step 1. Slice ginger and green onions. Set aside. Tenderize and slice the pork (if you can’t eat pork, you can slice some chicken breast instead). Marinate with salt, ginger, sugar, chicken bouillon, corn starch, water and olive oil. Mix together.

Step 2. Boil 4 cups water. Once water has boiled, add cooked rice and cook for 20 minutes until thick on medium-low heat. Keep uncovered. Be careful the water may overflow so keep an eye on the stove!

Stir the rice in boiling water using a wooden spatula.

Step 3. Stir at the 10-minute mark a few times so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom too much.

A pot of Chinese porridge is simmering with pork slices.

Step 4. After 20 minutes of cooking, stir the rice around and gradually add the pork and stir a few times.

Pro Tip: Don’t stir too much or the congee will get watery!

A simmering pot of Chinese porridge with pork slices, a century egg, ginger, and green onions.

Step 5. Cut up your century egg and add inside. Cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish jook with green onions and ginger.

A hand holding a fried dough stick over a bowl of Chinese porridge.

Step 6. The congee goes perfectly with you tiao (chinese donut). Enjoy while the congee is still hot!

Tips to Making a Perfect Congee

Use day old rice to make the congee. Using raw rice doesn’t not make the same consistency and will take longer to cook.
Don’t stir/mix the rice when cooking too much or else the congee will end up runny. We are looking for a thick and smooth consistency!
If you have time, marinate the pork for at least 30 minutes so the meat gets more flavor.

Recipe FAQs

What is Chinese congee?

Chinese congee is a creamy rice porridge made by simmering rice with water or broth until it reaches a soft, velvety consistency. It’s a comforting, versatile dish enjoyed plain or with flavorful additions like meats, eggs, vegetables, or condiments, making it a staple in Chinese cuisine.

Can I use cooked rice?

Yes, it is recommended to use cooked rice for this dish. I recommend using jasmine or short grain rice. You may also use cooked brown rice.

Where do I get you tiao (fried dough sticks)?

You can get youtiao in the frozen aisle at asian grocery stores like 99 ranch and Hmart. Its found next to the buns and baos. Buy a pack and heat in your air fryer or oven according to the package directions for a crispy exterior.

Where do I get the preserved duck eggs?

If you want to get the century eggs or thousand year old eggs, I recommend going to 99 ranch or your local asian grocery. I found these eggs next to the salted egg yolks section. They taste very mild or slightly salty. Hard to explain if you haven’t tried it yet but trust me, it goes great with the congee/porridge.

How do I serve this dish?

You can serve with crunchy youtiao. It also is common to eat congee with with rice noodles in Cantonese culture. You can try my HK rice noodles or Beef Chow Fun recipe.

Check Out More Chinese Recipes

Chinese Stuffed Tofu – shrimp paste filled in a silky smooth tofu and topped with savory oyster-based sauce.
Hainanese Chicken Rice – juicy chicken thighs are cooked along with a ginger and garlic-infused rice all in one pot!
Golden Fried Rice – egg yolks are mixed with white rice and sauteed with Chinese broccoli stems and Chinese sausage.