Abalone and chicken congee
Sliced baby abalone and chicken simmered into silky congee — sweet, delicate and moistening, just right as Chushu's first autumn dryness sets in.
- 45 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Yin-deficient people are short of fluids, with a dry mouth and skin and hot palms, and Chushu's first autumn dryness, on top of Hong Kong's lingering heat, easily drains yin. Abalone nourishes yin and clears heat, chicken boosts qi, and silky congee nourishes the stomach and generates fluids. Light and never greasy, it's a gentle start to the day.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 35 min- 1Rinse the rice and mix with a pinch of salt and a few drops of oil. Bring the water to the boil, add the rice, boil hard for 10 minutes, then simmer over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes until silky.
- 2Meanwhile, scrub the abalone clean and slice thinly. Cut the chicken into strips and marinate with the soy sauce, cornflour and a little sesame oil for 10 minutes.
- 3Once the congee is silky, add the chicken and abalone and simmer for 3–4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the goji berries and ginger and season with salt.
- 4Ladle into bowls and scatter with spring onion.
Cautions
- Abalone is shellfish and a common allergen, so avoid it if seafood disagrees with you; skip it while you have a cold, fever or diarrhoea.
Chef's tips
- Scrub thawed baby abalone with a toothbrush around the frilly edge and slice thinly so it cooks quickly and stays tender; mixing the rice with a little oil and salt before cooking makes the congee silkier.
The TCM view
Abalone is sweet, salty and neutral, nourishing yin, clearing heat, replenishing essence and brightening the eyes. Chicken is sweet and warm, warming the middle and boosting qi; rice is sweet and neutral, strengthening the spleen, and as congee it nourishes the stomach and generates fluids; goji berries nourish the liver and kidneys. Together they moisten dryness and support the stomach without heaviness.
