Congee
Congee is a form of savoury porridge, primarily made by boiling rice in large amount of water until it softens or dissolves, and commonly flavored with salt or mild broth. Depending on the rice–water ratio, the thickness of congee varies from a Western oatmeal porridge to a gruel. Congee is typically served with side dishes, or it can be topped with meat, fish, and pickled vegetables.
The popular English name congee derives from the Tamil word கஞ்சி (kañci). The Portuguese adopted the name as canje, with the first document mentioning the dish and the word in 1563. The English name was adopted from the Portuguese. In China, congee is known as zhou (Chinese: 粥; pinyin: zhōu; Cantonese Yale: jūk), with the first recorded reference traced back to 1000 BC during Zhou dynasty. Across Asia, various similar dishes exist with varying names.
East Asia
Porridge or congee (粥; zhōu or 稀飯; xīfàn in Standard Chinese) in southern China usually means rice congee, while in the north it may be cornmeal porridge, proso millet porridge, foxtail millet porridge, or sorghum porridge, reflecting the north–south divide of grain production. In northwest Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, fermented rice and millet porridge known as suan zhou (酸粥) is popular. Rice and millet are soaked to allow fermentation, then water is drained to obtain porridge. The water is served as a drink, suan mi tang (酸米湯). The porridge is eaten with pickles of turnips, carrots, radish or celery. When stirred-fried, the porridge is called chao suan zhou (炒酸粥). The porridge may also be steamed into solids known as suan lao fan (酸撈飯). While the traditional grain is proso millet, it is mixed with rice when available. Many folk idioms of sourness derive from this dish.
Southeast Asia
In Myanmar, congee is called hsan byoke or hsan pyoke, literally "(uncooked) rice boiled". It is plain porridge, often made with just rice and water, but sometimes with chicken or pork stock and served with a simple garnish of chopped spring onions and crispy fried onions.[citation needed] Paired with garnishes of choice. (Fish sauce, chilli flakes, etc.) In Khmer, congee is called babor (បបរ). It is one of the options for breakfast along with kuyteav, another popular Cambodian breakfast dish. Congee is eaten throughout Cambodia both in the countryside and in the cities. Congee can be eaten plain or with a variety of side dishes and toppings such as soy sauce, added to enhance taste, as well as dried salted fish or fried breadsticks (ឆាខ្វៃ, cha kway).
South Asia
The etymon of the word congee, Kanji (கஞ்சி/kañci) is a popular dish in the state of Tamil Nadu. Among the working classes, it is a staple nourishing breakfast dish, although consumed often for lunch and dinner as well. In addition, all classes regard kanji as an excellent food during convalescence, for its ability to be easily digested. In Tamil Nadu includes the rice kanji which is considered the most popular: variations of this include sweet rice kanji (milk and sugar/jaggery added to the cooked rice soup).[citation needed] Kanji is also prepared with different grains, such as minor millet or pearl millet, finger millet, mung bean, broken wheat, and maize. Multi-grain kanji is also made.[citation needed]
The Americas
Among the Indo-Caribbean Tamil Community, a dish called "Kandji" or "Kanchi" is made with rice, chickpeas, black eyed peas, onions, grated coconuts, and salt. It is traditionally eaten after a puja and is traditionally offered to Kali Amman (a syncretic mix of Mariamman and Kali), the main goddess of the Caribbean Tamil Community (see also: Caribbean Shaktism). The ingredients are traditionally gathered from begging door to door and then preparing the dish in the temple's complex.
Europe
In Hungary, it is called rizskása, a traditional Hungarian food in the Hungarian population of Upper-Hungary (today Slovakia) and is also used as strudel filling. In Portugal, a traditional soup made of rice and chicken meat is named canja or canja de galinha. The Portuguese had likely picked up the dish from their colonies in Western/Southern India or Sri Lanka; where the soup remains a staple (particularly for the ill). The rice is not cooked for as long as in Asian congee, so it is very soft, but not disintegrated. Traditionally, a boiling fowl containing small, immature eggs is used; the eggs are carefully boiled and served in the canja. This soup is sometimes served with a fresh mint leaf on top. Strongly valued as comfort food, it is traditionally given to people recovering from disease, as in Asia, and in some regions of Portugal, there is even a custom of feeding the mother a strict diet of canja in the first weeks after childbirth. It is also eaten traditionally in Brazil and Cape Verde, former Portuguese colonies.
