Duck Congee
Cantonese enjoy eating pot-stewed congee, and although the origin of this custom is unknown, it could be partially due to the local climate. Guangdong is located within a subtropical zone, where a bowl of smooth and fragrant congee can serve as some relief from the dry and oppressive weather. It is also said that in regions such as Teochew, the reason for eating congee is related to previous generations’ struggles with famine, during which time adding extra water to rice resulted in what seemed like more food.
Duck Congee and the People of Guangdong
Pot-stewed congee from the Guangdong region truly is wonderful, with a great many varieties and a focus on the duration and degree of cooking. Stewed congee makes use of rice and nearly any type of other supplemental ingredients one can think of. The customary cooking method in Guangdong is to stew the congee broth before adding base ingredients (for example, duck) and other seasonings. When it comes to the smooth and sticky laohuo congee (a type of congee that is cooked at very high temperature over a long period of time), every household has its own recipe modifications and family secrets; some use a combination of old and new rice, some a combination of Thai sprouts and Australian sheep meat, but the proportion of water to rice always remains near 10:1.
Duck congee is a favorite throughout Guangdong. It is believed within Chinese medicine that duck congee cures colds, and it is also said that for the elderly and those in poor health, whose illnesses may flare up when consuming meats such as beef and chicken, symptoms may actually be lessened by consuming duck meat instead.
Duck Congee and Dream of the Red Chamber
In the Dream of the Red Chamber, there is a section of the story which features duck congee: during the 15th night of the first lunar month, the Jia family is celebrating with alcohol, plays, and fireworks. Toward the end of the celebration, Mother Jia suddenly realizes how hungry she has become, at which point Xifeng Wang declares “we have prepared duck congee to eat.”
