Some days aren’t meant for rushing, some days we don’t like to go out, not takeout either. Just wanted a day to switch off and rest. So this day, I put dried vegetables, pork bones, dried oysters, and rice into the thermal cooker. After an afternoon nap, dinner was quietly waiting for me.
It made me smile because this wasn’t just a recipe. It was something our family has cooked for years.
There was never anything fancy about this congee. It was the kind of meal that appeared after busy days, rainy afternoons, or whenever someone needed a little comfort. The ingredients slowly gave themselves to the pot, turning into something gentle, nourishing, and satisfying.
As children, we thought it was simply dinner.
Now we understand it was also our parents’ way of saying, “Rest. I’ll take care of this.”
Perhaps that’s why this bowl still feels like home.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
150g jasmine rice (1 full cup)
500g pork bones or pork ribs (for a meatier congee)
100g dried Chinese mustard greens (菜乾), soaked, rinsed, and cut into 2 cm lengths
50g dried oysters (蠔豉), rinsed (about 6 pieces)
50g carrots, diced
20g apricot kernels (南杏 + 北杏), good for respiratory system and promote bowel movements
Step- by-Step:
- Blanch the pork bones. Drain and rinse well.
- Place all the ingredients, except rice, into a large pot.
- Cook for about 1 hour on the stovetop, or 40 mins in an Instant Pot.
- Remove the dried oysters, dice them and return them to the pot together with the rice.
- Continue cooking for about 30 minutes
- Season to taste
Recipe of Life
Sometimes the most caring thing we can do isn’t cooking an elaborate meal.
Sometimes it’s preparing something simple, closing the lid, taking a nap, and trusting that time will do the rest.
Not everything in life needs to be hurried.
In our family, this congee often appeared on quiet weekends or whenever someone was feeling tired, or not feeling well. It wasn’t reserved for celebrations. It was simply our way of saying, “Let’s slow down today.”
Like a good pot of congee, love often grows quietly while we rest. When you think of comfort food, who comes to mind, and what did they cook that made you feel loved?
“A warm bowl cannot solve every problem, but it can remind us that comfort often begins with the simplest acts of care.” Lily
Pass It On
Every family recipe carries a name, a face, a moment in time.
Before you close this page, take a quiet moment to think:
Who first shared this dish with you?
Was it a parent standing at the stove without saying much, but teaching you everything?
A grandparent who never wrote anything down, yet somehow made it taste the same every time?
A sibling, who quietly showed you that care can look like a pot left to simmer while life slows down?
Write their name here, if you can:
________________________________________
Now think about this:
Who would you like to share this with next?
A child still learning what “home” tastes like?
A friend far away who misses their own kitchen?
Or perhaps someone sitting beside you right now?
________________________________________
Recipes are not just passed down through ingredients.
They are passed on through memory, through care, and through the quiet decision to keep someone’s love alive in your kitchen.
So when you cook this dish again, remember:
You are not only making food.
You are continuing a story.
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