Cháo Huyết

Pork Blood Congee


2-3 cup of thick congee
1 T small fried shrimp
1 T cooked pork skin (optional)
1/2 cup congealed pork blood
2 Chinese crullers, cut into rings
2 T chopped green onion and cilantro
fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper to taste

I often make this congee from thick congee, you can make it from left over rice or from uncooked rice.

Soak dried shrimp in warm water until soft.
Put thick congee into a pot and add water to thin it. This congee is much thinner than a typical congee, it's more soupy. Add soaked shrimps in and its water, discard the sandy stuff if any that sinks in the bottom. Simmer to cook for 1/2 hour.
Boil congealed pork blood to cook then cut into small bite cubes.
Add pork blood cubes into the pot. Season with fish sauce, salt, sugar and pepper.
Top some crispy Chinese cruller rings, chopped green onion and cilantro, fresh ground pepper and some minced red hot chilli (if desired).

Cháo Trứng Bắc Thảo

Pork and Century Egg Congee


2 cups of cooked rice
6 cups water
2-3 century eggs
1 piece (4 oz) of pork loin
1 piece (2 oz) of pork belly
3 scallions
4 sprigs cilantro
1 piece (1-inch) ginger
fish sauce, salt, fresh ground pepper

I love to make this congee for breakfast from left over rice so I can clean up the rice pot. I sometimes just put cooked rice, chopped century eggs, ground pork, ginger and water into a slow cooker before going to bed and have breakfast ready when I wake up.

Put cooked rice and water into a medium pot over medium high heat, add meat and bring to a boil, lower heat and stir the congee frequently. When the meats are cooked, remove and cut into strips. Season with fish sauce and pepper. Let the congee simmer until the rice broken and the congee is thicken. Some like it thinner ans some like it thicker, adjust by adding water and continue to heat. Season with some sea salt.
Peel and cut the egg lengthwise into 6-8 pieces, add into the congee with pork strips and stir gently. Or you can place egg and pork strip in the bottom of the bowl and pour hot congee over when served.
Top with green onion, cilantro, ginger and pepper.