Dried Vegetable (Cai Gan), Scallop and Pork Bone Congee

Why people make this congee

The period after the Start of Autumn (around early August) in the Chinese calendar is a time when the air gradually loses its summer humidity but daytime temperatures remain very high — a combination that easily creates internal dryness and heat. The Cantonese tradition of making “golden and silver vegetables” soup (jin yin cai tang, using both fresh and dried vegetables) addresses exactly this seasonal challenge. This version makes a full congee with pork bones for richness and sun-dried mustard greens and scallop for depth of flavour. In traditional food therapy, this combination is associated with clearing heat from the lungs and stomach, soothing dry cough with little or no phlegm, and easing the full, uncomfortable feelings that internal heat can bring. It is one of the most comforting and naturally delicious congees in the Cantonese repertoire.

Method

1. Soak the dried mustard greens in cold water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Rinse well (they can be salty or gritty), then cut into sections.
2. Soak the dried scallop pieces until softened; shred or pull apart into fibres.
3. Blanch the pork bones briefly in boiling water; drain and rinse to remove impurities.
4. Place all ingredients — dried vegetables, scallop, pork bones, ginger and rice — in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
6. Cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the congee is thick and the rice has broken down. The liquid should reduce to approximately 1.2 L.
7. Serve hot. Eat the congee and enjoy some of the scallop fibre and pork alongside.

Nourilo’s Tips

• If you do not want to use pork bones, lean pork shank (zhu zhan) or simply lean pork cubes are excellent substitutes — and perhaps easier for young children to eat around.
• Dried scallop can be replaced with salted dried duck gizzard (chen ya shen / chen ya gu) — 2 pieces — or with dried oysters (hao shi) 5–6 pieces. Both give a similar depth of umami flavour to the congee.
• To make this congee for a one-year-old: the recipe is completely suitable; simply be sure the rice is well cooked down and the pork is tender. You can replace pork bones with pork shank for easier eating.
• For the autumn dry season, having this congee once or twice a week is a gentle and pleasant way to ease the seasonal transition.