Congee For Baby
An easy step-by-step guide on how to make Congee For Baby using a rice cooker or over a stove. A yummy meal for babies over 6 months
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw Jasmine rice (NOTE 1)
- 2¼ cup salt-reduced chicken stock (NOTE 2)
- 2¼ cup water
- eggs (optional)
Instructions
- Using a rice cooker - Rinse the rice a few times using a fine strainer and drain the water. Place the rice in the rice cooker with water, stock and eggs (if using). Cook for one rice cooker cycle, as you would normally do with rice. However, leave the lid ajar to allow more steam to escape. The high amount of water in the rice cooker may cause it to overflow if covered completely.Once done, remove the eggs and stir the congee. The rice grains should be soft and slightly broken, and the porridge should be quite thick. It'll thicken more when cooled, as the rice will continue to absorb the water. For a runnier congee, add 0.5 to 1 cup of more water and cook the porridge for another cycle.
- Over the stovetop - Rinse the rice a few times using a fine strainer and drain the water. Place the rice, water and stock into a medium heavy-based saucepan.Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat then reduce it to medium-low. Simmer for 30-40 minutes and stir occasionally so the rice doesn't catch at the bottom. The congee is done when the rice has softened and broken down, and the porridge has thickened. If the congee is too thin, cook it for longer. If it's too thick, add more water to loosen it up, then bring it back to a boil before removing it from the heat.
Notes
NOTE 1 - Jasmine rice - I prefer using Jasmine rice because it's high in starch and it breaks down to a nice texture. The starch also helps thicken the congee nicely.
NOTE 3 - Chicken stock - If you wish to keep the sodium low, swap chicken stock for an equal amount of water to make Plain Congee. Plain congee is ideal for babies under 12 months old.
Leftovers - Allow the congee to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge. It should be good for 3 days or 3 months if frozen.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 53kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 24mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.2mg