Rice Medium

Century Egg and Pork Congee

Quick answer

Total time: 65 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Century egg and pork congee - pi dan shou rou zhou - is the defining Cantonese breakfast, served from dawn at congee shops across Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and the broader Pearl River Delta.

The congee base demands a full hour of slow simmering over low heat, during which the rice grains break down entirely into a silky, fluid suspension. In Cantonese this texture is called sang shui - meaning the rice and water have become indistinguishable from each other - and anything short of that is considered undercooked. Lean pork is sliced thin and added during the final minutes, cooking through immediately in the residual heat of the porridge without toughening. Century egg - duck egg preserved in an alkaline mixture of clay, ash, and salt for several weeks - transforms dramatically in the process: the white sets into translucent, trembling amber jelly and the yolk becomes a creamy, dark-green semi-solid with a dense, sulfurous depth. Cubed and stirred through the porridge, the egg's alkaline richness cuts through the clean blandness of the rice base, while the pork provides a grounding savory note. White pepper, a few drops of sesame oil, and sliced scallion finish the bowl. The congee thickens rapidly once it leaves the heat, narrowing the window of ideal texture, so it must be eaten as soon as it is served.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

rice¾ cupcup

water1200 mlml

pork tenderloin180 gg

century eggs2 eaea

ginger1 tbsptbsp

spring onion1 pcspcs

soy sauce1 tsptsp

sesame oil1 tsptsp

Shop All Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Rinse 3/4 cup rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it well.

Put it in a heavy pot with 1,200 ml water and bring it to a full boil over high heat, stirring once so the rice does not settle.
2

Control

Once it boils, lower the heat to low and leave the lid half open.

Simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, scraping the bottom every 5 minutes, because thick congee sticks easily before the rice has fully broken down.
3

Season

While the congee cooks, slice 180 g pork tenderloin very thinly against the grain.

Coat it with 1 tsp soy sauce and half the ginger, then let it marinate for 10 minutes so it seasons quickly and cooks without toughening.
4

Prep

Peel the 2 century eggs and cut them into 1 cm cubes, then slice the spring onion.

The congee base is ready when almost no separate rice grains remain and it coats the back of a spoon smoothly.
5

Control

Add the remaining ginger, the marinated pork, and the diced century eggs, keeping the heat low.

Stir and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, just until the pork turns fully opaque with no pink spots and stays tender.
6

Season

Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tsp sesame oil and the sliced spring onion.

Taste, add a little more soy sauce only if needed, then ladle into bowls immediately before the congee thickens further as it cools.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: The congee base is ready when grains nearly disappear and it coats a spoon
Finish cue: Stir and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, just until the pork turns fully opaque with no pink spots and stays tender.