Sweet Potato Congee 地瓜粥

After making Taiwanese sweet potato and taro balls for dessert, I've got some sweet potato left. Instead of prepping another sweet dessert or make sweet potato fries, let's go simple this time.

Sweet potato congee 地瓜粥 -

Ingredients (about 5 to 6 servings)?

• 2 measuring cups white short grain rice
• 20 measuring cups water
• 2~2 1/2 cups loosely packed peeled sweet potato chunks

How?

Pay attention here, I've used regular "measuring" cups for this recipe instead of the smaller Chinese rice measuring cups. However, no matter what type of measuring cup you use, just remember that the rice to water ratio is about 1:10.

Rinse the rice using a fine mesh strainer to wash away some extra starch on the grains. Transfer the rice to a big pot and pour in proportioned water accordingly. Per my case, 2 measuring cups of rice with 20 measuring cups of water.

Turn to medium heat and cook till it starts to boil, should take around 20 minutes. Lower the heat to keep it at a simmer. Continue to cook with lower heat for another 20 minutes or till the grains reach preferred congee consistency. Remember to stir the mixture from time to time, especially scrap the bottom to prevent sticking or burning.

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into smaller chunks. Add to the congee and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Turn off the heat then cover with a lid. Let the residual heat to continue cooking the sweet potatoes, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

The sweet potatoes will be like chopstick-tender in the end. If not soft enough, keep the lid on for a little bit longer.

It's so easy to make, and works great with salty side dishes or pickles. If you never had sweet potato congee before, it's not as sweet as one would have imagined. The flavor has been diluted, so it's not strange at all serving with savory dishes.

Also don't underestimate what two cups of rice can do. Only two measuring cups, it turned out a big pot of congee in the end, enough to feed a family of six for one meal. However, if you happened to have leftover sweet potato congee, simply heat it up using a steamer, or use low heat on the stove. Add a little bit of drinkable water once at a time if the congee appears too dry for your liking.

  

Extended reading:

• Taiwanese taro and sweet potato balls in brown sugar syrup 芋圓/地瓜圓