Congee with ground pork and asparagus

Step 1/4

• 200 g green asparagus
• 5 g ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 100 g ground pork
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sweet soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil

• knife
• cutting board
• fine grater
• bowl (large)

Remove tough ends from asparagus, slice off the tops, and then slice the length into small rounds approx. 0.5 cm/0.25 in. wide. Set aside. Finely grate a third of the ginger, grate garlic, and add to a bowl along with pork mince, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sesame oil. Mix well and let marinate.

Step 2/4

• 100 g jasmine rice
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 5 g ginger
• 1 scallion
• 1 clove garlic
• 500 ml water

• pot
• cooking spoon

Add rice, chicken stock, a piece of ginger, scallion, garlic, and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, stir well, then lower the heat and let simmer for 30 min., stirring once in the middle of the cooking time to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. After simmering for 30 min., remove the lid from the congee, stir well, and let cook for another 15 min. with the lid off, increasing the heat to medium if it looks too watery. The mixture should be thick and glossy in the end, with a consistency that’s runnier than porridge but not soup-thin. Remove the scallion, garlic, and ginger before serving.

Step 3/4

• vegetable oil (for frying)
• sesame oil (for frying)

• spatula
• frying pan

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with a little vegetable oil and a drop of sesame oil. Add asparagus and fry for approx. 5 min. Remove from the pan, add the ground pork and fry, making sure you break up the mince into small pieces. Continue to fry until golden, approx. 7 min.

Step 4/4

• 5 g ginger
• 1 scallion
• cilantro (for serving)
• fried onion (for serving)
• soy sauce (for serving)
• sesame oil (for serving)

• 2 bowls

Slice remaining ginger into fine matchsticks. Finely slice remaining scallion diagonally. Divide congee between bowls, top with ground pork mixture, asparagus, sliced scallion, and ginger, and garnish with freshly plucked cilantro leaves and crispy fried onions, if desired. Drizzle with extra soy sauce and sesame oil. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!