Rice Stew Eruption

"I've spent decades trying to master the culinary arts, but I've yet to make a dish that truly satisfies me. If only I could get my paws on one of those Golden Mushrooms, I'm sure I could prove my true skill by making the ultimate dish!"

This savory congee topped with green onions, crushed peanuts, and shiitake mushrooms is as flavorful as it is comforting.

Inspired by | Okami

Ingredients

The Congee

1 cup rice
1 bundle of green onions
1 ginger root
24 oz shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup salted peanuts
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 sprig of fresh basil
1 sprig of fresh parsley
1 tsp salt

Vegetable Broth

6 cups water
skin and scraps from the onion
roots and stems from the green onions
stems from the shiitake mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
½ tsp basil, parsley, and thyme

*Specialty of the house. Fills astral pouch completely.*

Directions

Instructions

Making the vegetable broth from scratch comes easy, since it uses all the scraps from the main ingredients of this dish. Prepare the vegetables from peeling and dicing the onion, scrubbing and slicing the mushrooms and removing their stems, peeling and finely dicing the ginger, and slicing the green onions. Take all the food scraps and spices and toss them into a large pot, along with 6 cups of water, the smashed garlic, and the dry herbs. Heat on medium until the flavors have seeped through, at least 30 minutes.

I know Yama makes this look instantaneous, but trust me - your hard work will be worth the effort!
Once the broth has turned brown in color and is flavorful to the taste, strain it through a colander back into the large pot. Add the rice and turn the heat to medium low, cooking until the rice has achieved a pudding-like consistency, about 90 minutes.
While the congee is simmering, cook the diced onion in a splash of olive oil on medium low heat until clear; add the ginger and continue to simmer until fragrant, a few minutes more. Stir the onion/herb mixture into the congee.
Next, sautee the sliced mushrooms in the sesame oil until starting to become tender, about five minutes. Add the soy sauce and heat through for an additional five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Crush the peanuts using a mortar and pestle until evenly ground.
Mix together the congee, onion, and mushrooms; top with the green onion slices and crushed peanuts. Garnish with green onion stems if desired.

Tips!

Congee is traditionally made with rice and water, but using vegetable broth gives the dish more flavor and nutrients. It also takes advantage of all the food scraps created in the process of making this meal.

To reheat leftovers, stir in a splash of water or broth to achieve your desired consistency.