Congee

congee a watery ‘porridge’ (of the category often called gruel) made with rice, preferably glutinous, in S. China, where it is known as zhou. Plain congee is usually eaten as the first meal of the day. It is a bland dish and may be accompanied by salted fish or other strongly flavoured food to provide contrast.

Chicken congee, ji zhou, is a more nourishing and flavourful version. A millet congee is also made. Florence Lin (1986) mentions both these and also provides an illuminating tip for anyone who has to take in a bowl of hot congee at high speed:

First you fill the rice bowl to the brim with congee. Then, holding the bowl with the palm of your hand, you put your mouth against the rim and suck the congee while your palm turns the bowl. With one breath of sucking along the rim of the bowl, you can swallow a quarter of a bowl of congee. This is because the congee is cooler at the rim. If you needed three bowls to quell your hunger, it didn’t take long to get them with this method.