16 August 2012 | 55 comments
Posted in chicken, Chinese, Featured Articles, One-dish meal, porridge, pumpkin
Lately, my family has a new liking. That’s my multigrain congee (rice porridge). Having this tasty yet healthy meal makes our bellies feel so satisfied and great. This congee is not exactly 100% multigrain. Instead, it’s made up of 50% multigrain, 20% millet and 30% short grain rice. The presence of millet and short grain rice gives the texture a new dimension from toothsome to smooth, as good as the normal congee. The multigrain brand I use is GreenMax, a product from Taiwan. It consists of 11 types of grains namely brown rice (糙米), pearl rice (珍珠米), wheat (小麦), barley (大麦), pearl barley (薏仁), oat (燕麦), buckwheat (蕎麦), millet(小米), black glutinous rice (黑米), gordon euryale seed (茨实)and sorghum (高粱). If you can’t find this brand, that’s fine. You can use any brand that is available in your supermarket. There are various ways to flavour this congee. But, using the right mix of ingredients gives a good lift to the flavour. I had done a couple of experiments with different pairings of ingredients, and finally came up with my secret version of “umami”. It’s a combination of chicken carcasses, dried scallops and pumpkin. To cook this congee, you don’t need strong hand muscle to keep on stirring it on the stove top as what you would for the usual plain congee. The reason is that some grains such as brown rice and black glutinous rice can’t break down easily and hence have fewer tendencies to stick to the bottom of the pot. Furthermore, the chicken carcasses and pumpkin play a role to minimise the rice from sticking too. However, I strongly recommend that you use a large stock pot that has enough depth so you need not worry about spilling over. Alternatively, simmer the congee with the lid partially opened. This congee will take you two hours to cook from start to finish. Once it’s done, serve it with a topping of chopped spring onions, roasted anchovies and roasted peanuts. These condiments are optional but a hit in my family. The crunchiness and nuttiness of peanuts and crispiness of lightly salted anchovies give this congee an extra boost of its overall texture and taste. This is the main reason that my family got hooked to this congee. This is an effortless yet hearty one-dish meal that is perfect for your whole family. Click on PAGE 2 BELOW to get the recipe for Multigrain Congee.
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55 Comments
food-4tots says:16 August 2012 at 11:51 pm
Alice: Great for this hot season! Do give it a try. 😉
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- LCOM says:
16 August 2012 at 9:42 pm
Your multigrain congee looks delicious! Love this healthy version of congee.
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- food-4tots says:
16 August 2012 at 11:52 pm
LCOM: Thanks!! It’s surprisingly tastier than the usual Chinese congee. 😉
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- jenn says:
16 August 2012 at 9:47 pm
Can I use slow cooker to cook this porriage?
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- food-4tots says:
16 August 2012 at 11:55 pm
Jenn: Provided your slow cooker is big enough to cater to all the ingredients. If not, you may need to cut down the ingredients accordingly. Another option is to remove the chicken carcasses and replace water with chicken stock. In this case, the amount of liquid has to be reduced by 100-200ml. 😉
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16 August 2012 at 10:23 pm
Wow~~ This look absolutely delicious! I bought a pack of this 5 grains rice too! Will try out your recipe on weekend 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
16 August 2012 at 11:57 pm
Ellena: What a coincidence!! Hope you will like this recipe!! 😉
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- Lilium says:
16 August 2012 at 10:35 pm
I used this brand too! It makes nice porridge! I also used to cook as rice but I still prefer it as porridge!
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- food-4tots says:
16 August 2012 at 11:58 pm
Lilium: Agreed! Porridge is nicer than rice. 😉
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- tigerfish says:
17 August 2012 at 1:46 am
I also cook multigrain congee at least once a week! And I also add millet and short grain rice. The millet definitely makes it more “creamy” smooth. 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
19 August 2012 at 11:24 pm
Tigerfish: Yes, the kinda porridge we love. 🙂
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- lisang says:
17 August 2012 at 1:48 am
Hello there!
I love love love CONGEE!
I can have it anytime of day, week, year.
I do like to start it with a nice chicken breast then shred.
The multi grain I will need to try as I am trying to eat better. I tried it with brown rice and i like the chewy texture so with multi grain might be a party for me 🙂Thank you and once again great post!
Lisa
Cookng sistersReply
- food-4tots says:
19 August 2012 at 11:28 pm
Cookny sisters: Thanks!! Glad you like this recipe. Happy trying!! 🙂
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- Rack of Lam says:
21 August 2012 at 4:30 am
That is very interesting, I’ve never made or seen anybody make congee with multi-grains, but it actually looks pretty good and healthy. I’ve only used long grain and sushi rice, but I might give this one a try! Good job once again!
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- food-4tots says:
21 August 2012 at 10:18 pm
Rack of Lam: Thanks!! Do give it a try! 😉
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- Nami | Just One Cookbook says:
21 August 2012 at 12:41 pm
Now that’s a super delicious and healthy congee! The Japanese especially eat congee when we’re not well and I can imagine we’ll get better immediately after having this.
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- food-4tots says:
21 August 2012 at 10:20 pm
Nami (JOC): It’s the same practice for Chinese. My family doesn’t mind eating it every week. 😉
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- noobcook says:
22 August 2012 at 2:30 pm
This looks so healthy, I will look out for this grain next time I’m grocery shopping =)
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- food-4tots says:
25 August 2012 at 11:42 pm
Noobcook: I bought mine from NTUC. Happy trying! 😉
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- mycookinghut says:
23 August 2012 at 4:53 pm
This is a really special congee. I have never tried using different grains to make congee. Well done!
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- food-4tots says:
25 August 2012 at 11:44 pm
Lee Mei (MCH): Thanks!! Even my mother-in-law also likes it. 😉
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- May says:
26 August 2012 at 11:34 am
Hi,may i know what is short grain rice?
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- food-4tots says:
27 August 2012 at 11:13 pm
May: Short grain rice is also called “Japanese sushi rice”. You can refer to the photo at this link – https://food-4tots.com/2010/11/25/how-to-make-superfast-congee/.
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- Janine says:
6 September 2012 at 1:37 pm
definitely trying out your recipe soon! my multigrain version contains about the same grains as yours, together with oats, which I find gives it that cantonese porridge smoothness ;p
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- food-4tots says:
8 September 2012 at 11:16 pm
Janine: After trying it out, please share with me your feedback. Thanks! 😉
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- Grace says:See AlsoMy Favorite Greek Lamb Meatballs Recipe and Authentic Tzatziki Sauce from My Cooking Class in Greece
11 September 2012 at 10:56 pm
Your recipes have never failed me this far. And the same goes for this nutritious and delicious congee =D. I was beaming when u posted this and knew I had to try it soon. I used a combination of jap rice, black and brown rice. It’s very yummy! My husband, 5yr old and 1.5 yr old daughters love it! Makes me So happy! A great way to get them to eat pumpkin too =D
And I followed your post on toasting tiny anchovies, turned out so good!
My 5 yr old daughter and I LOVE crispy anchovies and I always feel guilty giving her the fried version. Now it’s oil and guilt free anchovies! Yay!=D (sorry, too excited to thank u!)
Thanks again for sharing. Love your recipes, love your photos ;D
Keep it up!Reply
- food-4tots says:
18 September 2012 at 11:04 pm
Grace: Thanks so much for your prompt feedback! I feel really great that you and your family love this recipe so much! You did a great job too! Keep it up!! 😉
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- Grace says:
11 September 2012 at 10:56 pm
Love your multigrain shot too! 2 Thumbs up!
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- food-4tots says:
18 September 2012 at 11:04 pm
Grace: Thanks!! Love your sweet words! 😉
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- Christine says:
3 December 2012 at 2:14 pm
Thanks for the great recipe! I tried it with pork ribs instead of chicken as I was coughing and it still turned out yummy! I was a bit skeptical about the taste at first, not knowing what the mixture of grains would taste like. But it turned out just like white rice congee but with a variety of textures that made it so interesting 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
4 December 2012 at 8:24 pm
Christine: Thanks!! Glad you like it as much as we do! 🙂
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- Ling says:
20 January 2013 at 10:25 pm
Hi hi,
I just cooked this for dinner. It worked great. Used marinated sliced pork instead of chicken meat and the chicken stock was instant 🙂
Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
22 January 2013 at 7:45 pm
Ling: It’s my pleasure to share. So glad it worked for you! 😉
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- Rachel says:
15 March 2013 at 6:29 pm
Hi, i do not know what is millet? Where can i buy that?
You ladies mention multi-grain, short-grain?
May i know where can i buy them and is it suitable for my 16mths tod?
Appreciate mummy reply. 🙂
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- food-4tots says:
17 March 2013 at 12:09 am
Rachel： For millet, short grain rice and multi-grain rice, please check out the photos at my “INGREDIENTS” page – https://food-4tots.com/ingredients/4/. You can find them at most of the supermarkets and also organic shops. Yes, they are suitable for your kid. Do give it a try! 😉
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- Ida says:
7 April 2013 at 2:58 pm
Hello food-4tots.com mommy! Thank You sooo much for your sharing! May I check what Çhicken Carcass means? Does it mean the whole chicken with Bones, Meat and Skin?
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- food-4tots says:
8 April 2013 at 11:44 pm
Ida: Chicken carcass that I used for this recipe is the whole chicken bones with some meat attached to it but without the skin. 😉
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- Ida says:
9 April 2013 at 1:26 pm
Thank you for your prompt response! Just two more questions regarding the chicken carcasss:
1) So I buy a whole chicken from the supermarket and remove all the skin and some meat?
2) How long should I blanch it for before rinsing with cold water? Just to clarify – blanching means cook in boiling water? (I read that the purpose of blanching is so that the meat will stop cooking once it is rinsed with cold water. Does it mean when the chicken carcass is placed in the large stock pot to cook in step 4, the chicken will actually not cook further already?)
Thank you for bearing with my very beginner questions!
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- food-4tots says:
11 April 2013 at 9:49 am
Ida: Usually you will find chicken carcass in the supermarket at the chiller section. If not, then get the whole chicken and remove the skin will do. Another option is go to your nearby wet market. Tell the seller that you need chicken carcass, he will definitely know which one to show you.
Just blanch for 2-3 minutes. What you have read is not the main purpose for doing this blanching. It is to get rid of any blood smell and impurities. 😉
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- Nancy says:
4 May 2013 at 11:21 pm
Hi,
NTUC Supermarket is selling Organic Raw Buckwheat. Is the same item that was featured in the picture illustrated?
Thanks.
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- food-4tots says:
4 May 2013 at 11:41 pm
Nancy: Buckwheat is just one of the ingredients in this multigrain. You need to look for multigrain not just buckwheat at NTUC Supermarket.
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- Nancy says:
5 May 2013 at 12:17 am
Thanks for yr speedy reply. Yes, I have come across the Greenmax
Multigrain pack in supermarket but wanted to know if I want to mske my own combination with buckwheat, I can only find organic raw buckwheat
In NTUC supermarket. Is this acceptable?Reply
- food-4tots says:
5 May 2013 at 10:33 pm
Nancy: I haven’t made congee with just buckwheat. Maybe you can check out other types of grains at organic stores. 🙂
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- Nancy says:
5 May 2013 at 12:19 am
Sorry, please notify me of comments. Thnks.
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- Joe says:
4 July 2013 at 3:46 am
I’m going to try this tonight. Can you clarify for me? “2 litres water (including water used for soaking the rice and scallops)” Since your receipt says “including water for soaking” how much water should i put directly into the pot to make the congee?
Also, if i can find the taiwanese rice, do i just use 200g of it?
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- food-4tots says:
4 July 2013 at 11:07 am
Joe: This recipe is very flexible. Soak your rice and scallops with water just enough to cover them slightly. There is no need to measure the water as it will only make up 10% of the total water needed. Yes, you can substitute the suggested amount with any types of rice you prefer. 😉
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- BabyFoodfinder says:
22 October 2013 at 1:10 pm
Hi, thanks for sharing this lovely porridge, I would like to try it out ASAP!
How do you seperate the millets from the multigrain? Do you handpick them one by one?
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- food-4tots says:
24 October 2013 at 10:00 pm
BabyFoodfinder: You don’t have to separate the millet from the multigrain. Just add extra millet will do. Happy trying! 😉
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- Huiqi says:
9 December 2013 at 12:38 pm
Hi
Can I cook this a every meal for my 7mths old baby as she has constipation and I heard that millet is very easy to digest too.
HuiqiReply
- food-4tots says:
9 December 2013 at 9:58 pm
Huiqi: You can just cook millet rather than multigrain congee for your baby. 🙂
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- yi xuan says:
20 December 2015 at 1:30 pm
Hi, love your website. I wondered if this can be cooked for baby about 1 yrs old? Do I need to grind it into powder if I cooked it for baby? Thanks!
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- food-4tots says:
22 December 2015 at 11:29 am
Yi Xuan: Sorry, I haven’t tried grinding multigrain into powder before. But I did try to grind brown rice and cook for my son after he turned 7 months. For brown rice, you need to wash and dry them thoroughly first. Grind them with blender, sieve and grind again until they turn into powder. Keep inside an air-tight container. Actually, millet and quinoa can be cooked without grinding.
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- Wendiee says:
12 April 2016 at 3:35 pm
Hi, my 1st time trying tis multi grain.
1) can gave it to my 19 mths old toddler?
2) if I use slow cooker, how long does it take to cook?
3) if I cook as desert what should I add?
Hope to hear frm you soon. Tks!Reply
- food-4tots says:
13 April 2016 at 8:21 am
Wendiee: Yes, it is suitable for your toddler. Omit the scallop if he is allergic to seafood. Haven’t tried this recipe using slow cooker before. I guess it will take about 2 hours at least. Another shortcut I like to use is to soak the rice and freeze it (please refer to the method shared in my quick congee recipe). You mean multigrain dessert? I haven’t made dessert using multigrain rice before. As a rule of thumb, you can add red dates or honey dates to sweeten it. 🙂
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jenn 
May 
Grace 
Christine 
Ling 
Rachel 
Ida 
Nancy 
Joe 
BabyFoodfinder 
Huiqi 
yi xuan 
Wendiee 