Congee with Youtiao (Chinese Donuts)
- Women`s Corner
- October 19, 2022
If you know how to boil water, you know how to make congee. In Beijing, where I grew up, it’s called 粥 (zhou) and eaten at breakfast or if you’re sick. When your body is barely awake or barely functioning, the simple carbs and hydration are an instant remedy. There is no real recipe beyond the two main ingredients, rice and water. Everything else is up to you: the type of rice, cooking time, amount of water, and texture. I’ve had watery congee and thick congee—it’s all about what you would like to eat in that moment.
You can put seasoning in the porridge itself, but I keep it pure and simple until serving, which is when the fun comes in. Exercise total freedom and go wild with toppings: My favorites include furikake, spicy pickled mustard stem (榨菜 zha cai), sweet and salty pork floss (肉鬆 rousong), century eggs (皮蛋 pidan), salted duck eggs (鹹蛋 xian dan), and potent fermented bean curd (腐乳 furu).
My childhood bowls were usually served with a donut called 油條 (youtiao). Literally meaning “oil stick,” youtiao were consumed hot and fresh from the morning vendor’s drum of frying oil, the softly crunchy exterior giving way to a tender but slightly chewy crumb with large air pockets—perfect for dipping into my bowl of warm congee.
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Ingredients:
FOR THE MINI YOUTIAO:
- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3/4 c. cold water
- 1 tsp. peanut oil, plus more for flying
FOR THE CONGEE:
- 1/2 c. rice, rinsed twice
- 4 1/2 water, plus more as needed
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Method:
MAKE MINI YOUTIAO: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Stream in water and mix, kneading until a mostly smooth dough forms, 5 minutes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and gently rub to coat dough. Cover bowl and let dough rest, 30 minutes. Stretch and fold dough from four sides to make a tightly tucked rectangle. Cover and let rest at room temperature at least 4 hours, or up to 4 days in the refrigerator. If refrigerating, remove dough from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature for 2 hours before frying.
On a lightly floured surface using your hands or a rolling pin, gently stretch or roll dough out to 1/4" thick. Using a sharp knife, cut into 28 rectangles about 1½"-x-3" each. Stack two pieces of dough together, then use a chopstick to firmly press down the middle, securing the layers lengthwise. In a medium pot (at least 6" across) over medium heat, heat 2" of oil to about 375°. Fry youtiao one at a time until golden, using chopsticks to flip frequently for even cooking, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining dough.
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MAKE CONGEE: In a large pot over medium heat, stir together rice and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid slightly ajar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is milky white, silky smooth, and thickened, 30 to 50 minutes, depending on desired consistency, adding more water as needed. Serve hot, plain, garnished with desired toppings, or paired with youtiao.
This recipe is taken from https://www.delish.com/cooking/
