Gorgon Nuts Congee

It has been rainy and steamily hot recently in Hong Kong, one hardly had any good appetite for dinner. I would like to make rice congee, usually with fried noodle. This is a proper meal summer dinner option for people in South China or South East Asia.

In this recipe, I use gorgon nuts, seeds of prickly waterlily, or euryale ferox. This starchy white seed with dark peel is a common Chinese soup ingredient that can be obtained in any Chinese grocery stores, usually sold when dry. It is valued as the ‘ginseng in water’, due to its benefits to cultivate balanced healthy condition, such as to regulate blood pressure, eliminate the wetness and heat, or be good for the kidney.

To make the congee more flavourful, I use chicken breast and some winter melon.

Serve 3 to 4

Ingredients –
Dry gorgon nuts, 60g;
Rice, half cup, any Chinese rice, Korean rice or Japanese rice would do;
Winter melon, peeled and seeded, 300g;
Chicken breast, 200g;
Light soy sauce, 1tbsp;
Ginger, 10g.

How to do –
1. Gorgon nuts washed roughly in running water, rice also washed. Put them in a deep pot with 5 cups of water, and a few drops of oil. Lid on, bring to boil, then simmer in medium low heat for 20 minutes, stir constantly in case it sticks on the bottom;

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2. Chicken breast roughly diced, marinated with crushed ginger and light soysauce;

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3. Winter melon cut into about 1 inch cube;

4. Put them in the congee, stir well, simmer for 20 more minutes, stir constantly;

5. Turn to high heat, put in the chicken, stir and break apart, cook for 1 or 2 minutes then lid on, heat off, let it see for 10 more minutes. Season with a little salt if you like.