Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Ginger Fish Fillet Congee
薑絲魚片粥
Recipe overview
Rice simmers into a smooth congee before shredded ginger and thin fish slices are gently poached until just cooked. It is a light Hong Kong family breakfast or dinner, with clear fish-safety checks.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 180 g jasmine rice (rinsed and drained)
- 300 g boneless white fish fillet (fully thawed, patted dry and checked again for bones)
- 1,800 ml water (for cooking the congee)
- 20 g ginger (peeled and finely shredded)
- 2 stalks spring onions (washed and sliced)
Fish marinade
- 2 tsp light soy sauce (for marinating the fish)
- 2 tsp cornstarch (for marinating the fish)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (for marinating the fish)
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (for marinating the fish)
Final seasoning
- to taste salt (use only after tasting at the end)
02
Tools
- bowl
- fine strainer
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- deep pot with lid
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- ladle
- kitchen timer
03
Steps
Step 1
Check the fish fillet
After the fish is fully thawed, check for off odour, slime or discolouration, then feel along the flesh and remove any remaining bones.
Step 2
Slice the fish
Pat the fillet dry and slice diagonally into pieces about 5 mm thick on a clean board used for raw preparation, then place in a clean bowl.
Step 3
Marinate the fish
Add light soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil and white pepper to the fish, mix gently and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Rinse and drain rice
Rinse the rice gently in a fine strainer 2–3 times until the water is clearer, then drain well.
Step 5
Bring water to a boil
Add 1,800 ml water to a deep pot, cover and bring to a full boil over high heat.
Step 6
Add the rice
Slowly add the drained rice to the boiling water while stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes to prevent sticking.
Step 7
Simmer the congee
Reduce to low heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 25 minutes, scraping the bottom every 5 minutes to prevent boiling over or scorching.
Step 8
Stir the congee base
Remove the lid and stir along the bottom. Check that the grains have opened and the congee is smooth; add a little hot water if too thick.
Step 9
Add the ginger
Stir in the shredded ginger and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes to flavour the congee.
Step 10
Poach the fish slices
Lay the fish slices separately into the gently bubbling congee. Do not stir at first; after 2 minutes, ease them apart and cook 1–2 minutes more until opaque and 63°C at the centre.
Step 11
Season and add spring onion
Once the fish is fully cooked, lower the heat, add spring onion, taste before adding salt and stir gently.
Step 12
Rest and serve
Turn off the heat, cover and rest for 3 minutes, then stir gently and ladle into white bowls. Cool appropriately and check once more for bones before serving to elderly diners or children.
Common mistakes
- High heat without scraping the bottom can make the congee boil over or scorch.
- Vigorous stirring after adding fish breaks the slices and clouds the congee.
- Partly frozen fish or fish not checked again for bones should not be served to elderly diners or children.
Tips
Cut fish to an even thickness and add slices separately so they cook together and stay intact.
Use only hot water to loosen thick congee so the fish continues cooking evenly.
