Why We Eat Congee, The Humble Rice Porridge

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  • čas přidán 6. 08. 2021
  • Lucas Sin, chef of Nice Day Chinese and Junzi Kitchen, demonstrates how to make and unpacks the history behind congee, a Chinese rice porridge that has been eaten for centuries. Congee is a humble dish often eaten for breakfast, by children, or when ill; the porridge’s thick, velvety texture and abundance of nutrients has made it a staple not only in China but around the world, through slightly different preparations. Lucas explores shatin chicken congee, a comforting dish made with galangal-spiced poached chicken, century egg, dried scallops, and a mixture of two kinds of rice. Check out the recipe here: www.vice.com/en/article/n7bd5...
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Komentáře • 1,2K

  • @lucasotis9525
    @lucasotis9525 Před 2 lety +2691

    I love how this dude narrates so conversationally, he's a natural educator. More Lucas!

    • @indiancowpissdrinker7151
      @indiancowpissdrinker7151 Před 2 lety

      gud

    • @radium05
      @radium05 Před 2 lety +4

      Like a food chemistry-anthropologist.

    • @diyamukesharora
      @diyamukesharora Před 2 lety +1

      Seconded!

    • @Trokemaster3
      @Trokemaster3 Před 2 lety +17

      @@charliep9066 As a daily consumer of white rice, I'm going to have to disagree. For me and many other people, rice is a staple food that provides an excellent source of energy at a low cost. It definitely helps fill your stomach when there is a scarcity of more satiating proteins and filling fibrous foods. Saying rice has no nutritional value is a huge slap in the face to people that rely on it as a primary source of calories.

    • @jamielynyu226
      @jamielynyu226 Před 2 lety +1

      and a good storyteller.

  • @daycart
    @daycart Před 2 lety +2407

    Lucas is one of the most eloquent and erudite chef hosts on Munchies.

    • @KessuPutte
      @KessuPutte Před 2 lety +28

      More of this guy please!
      It was so pleasant to follow his mellow pace of teaching his knowledge.

    • @KessuPutte
      @KessuPutte Před 2 lety +8

      @@davidsuratgar1139cool!
      we call it "Chao" in vietnamese

    • @Joekool88
      @Joekool88 Před 2 lety +4

      @@KessuPutte nice! Here in Singapore we call it 'Zhou' in Mandarin

    • @R700Sparkles
      @R700Sparkles Před 2 lety +2

      @@davidsuratgar1139 yeah he mentions that in the video

    • @geaninaschiopu5911
      @geaninaschiopu5911 Před 2 lety

      True

  • @MsSister76
    @MsSister76 Před 2 lety +1162

    I made this on accident when I was young. I rented a house by myself from a Hmong man and his wife. Throughout the 3 years I lived there they would check on me just to make sure I was ok or needed anything. I knew how to cook basic food. So I always loved wild rice because we had so much of it on the reservation but found it was very expensive off the rez so I bought white rice. One day, i woke up and it was about -40 (40 below 0) outside. I thought to try making chicken and wild rice soup. During this time my landlord called and asked if the house was warm enough and i told him the doors were frozen shut. Meanwhile i have a pot of stock going and a chicken stewing. Anyone who has had real indian rice knows it is very different than white rice. However at this point in my life i didn't know much about white rice. So, i bone the chicken and add white rice then go back to trying to release my door. I'm not sure how much time passed and eventually I hear my landlord, his wife and brother outside trying also to free my doors. Finally the door is open and his family comes in and they are frozen. The kitchen is warm and smells so good and cozy. Mrs. Vang goes to the stove and opens the pot. "You didn't have to do this, save your money, when did you learn our about our food?"that day we sat in my living room eating and telling stories from our different backgrounds. She taught me how to wear make up too. I miss them and I make this still on cold days

    • @jmaywald
      @jmaywald Před rokem +118

      That story just put a smile on my face. you are right, The best way to appreciate one another's culture is through breaking bread together and sharing food. Stay safe stay warm

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 Před rokem +10

      @@jmaywald tldr version

    • @sheab101
      @sheab101 Před rokem +32

      This is so heartwarming. It’s precious to have caring people in your life that teach you intimate stuff like how to wear makeup and food culture (even if by accident haha).

    • @deedee8772
      @deedee8772 Před rokem +7

      God bless you

    • @jasonbell9212
      @jasonbell9212 Před rokem +7

      Beautiful story. I had happy tears.

  • @melchaos5288
    @melchaos5288 Před 2 lety +497

    During the Khmer Rouge era, 1 can of rice was given to feed 12 people total, they turned into congee and everyone was fed enough to see another day. My grandfather told me about this who had gone through that era.

    • @beamboy14526
      @beamboy14526 Před 2 lety +27

      calorie-wise there is no difference but it might be psychologically beneficial to prepare congee to make people full.

    • @kengpiseth8837
      @kengpiseth8837 Před rokem +6

      yeah man I totally agree , but congee back then during the rouge they were so watery and very low on rice

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 Před rokem +6

      @@beamboy14526 the starches would mixed into the water and make it more filling. So actually more volume than rice alone

    • @desubysnusnu
      @desubysnusnu Před rokem +9

      This is absolutely true.
      The first time I made congee i used 1 cup of rice which was supposed to be 2 servings.
      I ended up feeding 2 people for 4 meals 🤣🤣

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 Před rokem +1

      @@desubysnusnu the congee expands in volume too

  • @1Life4Death
    @1Life4Death Před 2 lety +902

    Aw man, this was a lot of Asian kid's childhood, mine included. That moment when you get the flu or a cold. Instead of chicken soup, the first thing mom or grandma would do is make you a nice warm bowl of chicken congee.

    • @yanguskhan8513
      @yanguskhan8513 Před 2 lety +64

      when i was a kid and i was sick, me mom would do the korean version (juk) and also did this thing with a korean pear where she would take out the core, then put mung beans sprouts, honey and ginseng in and then simmering it in a pot of water about a quarter of the way up the pear. after a little while when the pear gets soft, take a cheese cloth and squeeze the pear honey goodness into the pot. that tea after a bowl of juk, heaven. only problem is that id have to go to school the next day cuz it cured my sickness.

    • @ArghyaDas44
      @ArghyaDas44 Před 2 lety +18

      In Bengal, India it is also same when we get sick the regular diet is rice porridge with lemon and very light chicken soup without any spices.

    • @NissiaH1
      @NissiaH1 Před 2 lety +20

      In Poland, we kids would have been served either chicken soup (sometimes with noodles) called 'rosół' or congee like porridge, plain, just rice cooked with water when ill. Funny how we are not so culturally different across the globe as one would think.

    • @300blackcats
      @300blackcats Před 2 lety +3

      i can't really grasp the concept of chicken noodle soup like i understand hot soup and noodles is comforting but i dont get drinking what seems to be straight up chicken stock like a minestrone sounds so much better?

    • @kevin5573
      @kevin5573 Před 2 lety +14

      @@300blackcats ok so go make minestrone instead

  • @18ekaf
    @18ekaf Před 2 lety +663

    My man needs his own show diving into food history. I’m sure he’s pretty busy as it is, but for sure that would be a hit. There’s not enough content exploring the history of food and how it evolves through time and different cultures

    • @lmf8334
      @lmf8334 Před 2 lety +6

      I totally agree. The amount of stuff you learn just listening to him while he prepares a dish is just amazing. 100% would watch.

    • @klmnts
      @klmnts Před 2 lety +3

      Chinese cooking demystified is an amazing channel for Chinese food history

    • @isaacs8783
      @isaacs8783 Před 2 lety +2

      it's not his main focus but some adam ragusea videos might scratch that itch

    • @bowieworld
      @bowieworld Před 2 lety +3

      tasting history and townsends are great for that if its something you’re interested in!

    • @Towkeeyoh
      @Towkeeyoh Před 2 lety +1

      Totally agree! He’s like the burger scholar but for Asian cuisine! Needs his own show with some cutaways to walking around and talking to people, that sort of thing, or even some animated graphic or something, hang on I take that back, our dude is way to cool and chill for some animated graphic, maybe something more zen-like. Maybe some sepia nostalgia flash back trip…

  • @kuhdeejugh
    @kuhdeejugh Před 2 lety +501

    you know what i find super interesting? when lucas talked about the etymology of the word 'congee', he said that it most likely came from the tamil word 'kanji'. in the malay language, 'kanji' means starch. since rich contains starch and the malay language is partially derived from sanskrit, i just found it amazing how all these asian cultures share such close relationships with each other, including our relationship with food!

    • @sanjay.r3733
      @sanjay.r3733 Před 2 lety +7

      setuju

    • @vishnu2407
      @vishnu2407 Před 2 lety +4

      He says Tamil, idk what tumno is
      And malayalam*, it is an Indian language

    • @paddyyou
      @paddyyou Před 2 lety +1

      Incredible how back in the day long before the internet, these recipes went all the way from Asia to Europe and back!

    • @MickeyAndMore
      @MickeyAndMore Před 2 lety +3

      Omg it’s almost as if they share a continent !

    • @kuhdeejugh
      @kuhdeejugh Před 2 lety +17

      @@vishnu2407 i've corrected the tumno error, that's my bad! but in terms of 'the malay language', i really do mean malay there, because i'm talking about bahasa malaysia/melayu, which is one of the languages spoken in malaysia!

  • @OMundoDeAnna
    @OMundoDeAnna Před 2 lety +416

    The moment I, a Brazilian, realized that Congee IS "canja de galinha" in Brazil my mind exploded and I'm still picking up the pieces. Food is fucking magic.

    • @stephanieprado2880
      @stephanieprado2880 Před 2 lety +32

      YES, I have known canja all my life and have heard about congee online many times, but never connected the two until today, I'm losing my mind over this hahahahah

    • @ANF6000
      @ANF6000 Před 2 lety +8

      Congee also sounds like canjica, which is kind of similar but sweet and with corn instead of rice. Possibly related?

    • @ginjiseiji
      @ginjiseiji Před 2 lety +7

      I had the same exact felling! Canja de Galinha FTW!

    • @Shane-un8pe
      @Shane-un8pe Před 2 lety +13

      Just about every culture has some kind of congee. Porridge, Rømmegrøt, Farina, the list goes on and on

    • @jpvgoncalves
      @jpvgoncalves Před 2 lety +5

      I am portuguese and I thought "what a hell is he taking about". then I went to read the comments. then i saw yours and then my mind also exploded.

  • @sonickgq
    @sonickgq Před 2 lety +1623

    Love how he calls out the beauty of the century egg, as compared to other "non-ethnic" food shows that focus on how "strange" it is and the pungent flavor from the alkalinity when non-chinese hosts ultimately eat it by itself, which is not how it's actually eaten.

    • @gab.lab.martins
      @gab.lab.martins Před 2 lety +215

      It's a condiment. It'd be like if an Asian chef took a can of anchovies and ate all of it by itself. Or even gorgonzola piccante.

    • @sonickgq
      @sonickgq Před 2 lety +24

      @@gab.lab.martins yup exactly, except it's rarely ever portrayed that way in western food media. E.g. Somebody Feed Phil

    • @jivexturk3y
      @jivexturk3y Před 2 lety +112

      It's incredibly offensive how it's used in America media as this novelty gag item. Fear factor for example. For many reasons, I hold Anthony Bourdain in high regard, but especially because he was the first westerner I've seen embrace the century egg on a major outlet (think it was the Piers Morgan show, f*ck that guy btw).

    • @droicut
      @droicut Před 2 lety +63

      But you can eat the century egg by itself... it's delicious!

    • @Itskal3
      @Itskal3 Před 2 lety +35

      @@gab.lab.martins Actually…white folks are the ones who would eat oily anchovies straight out of a can. Any Asian chef or any Asian mom would have sauté it on a pan with chopped green onions and spice. Served perfectly on a plate of delicious white rice instead of stale bread.

  • @Littlestraincloud
    @Littlestraincloud Před 2 lety +379

    I loved hearing Lucas go off about the migration of recipes and evolution of flatbreads, porridges, and dumplings.

    • @reklom2334
      @reklom2334 Před rokem +4

      Yes! Love it too! Essentially when it comes down to it, his examples are showcasing why I believe gatekeeping on dishes (e.g. statements like "you should always to stick to the original recipe, you can only use this ingredient from this region, your version is wrong for including this ingredient") is really such a weird and frankly pretentious hill to stand on

  • @CaptainSlowbeard
    @CaptainSlowbeard Před 2 lety +78

    Congee pretty much saved my life when I was younger. I got really sick when I was backpacking through Indonesia, and couldn't eat anything for about 10 days - any food just felt like I was swallowing glass, even noodles. The first thing I could stomach when I started to get better was a couple of spoonfuls of plain bubur (congee). I've never been as grateful for a meal in my entire life, and the next 2 weeks that was all I ate. Gradually I was able to add more of the "extras": ayam (chicken), krupuk (prawn crackers), kacang goreng (fried peanuts), kuah kuning (yellow sauce), bawang goreng (deep fried shallots).
    It's become my favourite of all foods, as well my first wish when I'm feeling ill. I always try the local version in any country I visit.
    Just as you mention, some dishes are universal - flatbreads, porridges, dumplings. It's a pretty amazing that we still have these living connections to a deep, human past.
    Food really is the great leveller - a beautiful, binding human language.

  • @lolilollolilol7773
    @lolilollolilol7773 Před 2 lety +154

    OK, I've now seen a few videos with this chef, and I can attest that his knowledge is truly encyclopedic. The dude is not just a chef, he is a History buff and a genius.

  • @testdasi
    @testdasi Před 2 lety +224

    Back when I was a student on a budget, my go-to congee recipe was like this: put 1 cup of rice in a rice cooker, fill water to the max line (about 10 cups), add a pinch of salt and chicken (or whatever protein I could find in my tiny dorm fridge), a slice of ginger, turn it to cook with lid off for 30 mins (and heat up my not-so-well-insulated dorm room in the process LOL).

    • @healinggrounds19
      @healinggrounds19 Před 2 lety +6

      I am going to try your recipe! Thanks!

    • @clintjosephshaji3618
      @clintjosephshaji3618 Před 2 lety +1

      No spices?

    • @TekuMehku
      @TekuMehku Před 2 lety +11

      Congee suppose to be light you honestly just need a bit of salt

    • @darn721
      @darn721 Před 2 lety +21

      @@clintjosephshaji3618 Typically flavoured by the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and the chicken broth. Congee is meant to be lightly flavoured so that it is palatable for children and the ill. However, if more flavour is desired, dried scallops, dried squid, fermented bean paste, century egg, salted egg etc are all commonly used. Though obviously it depends on recipe and not all of these ingredients are typically used together in one congee recipe.

    • @ryanli2047
      @ryanli2047 Před 2 lety

      @@darn721 no soy sauce

  • @sreerajnambiar2924
    @sreerajnambiar2924 Před 2 lety +41

    "Ingredients dnt move the way ideas do, Recipes do!!..." makes so much sense in a wider context of things.

    • @PowerYoutuberViewer
      @PowerYoutuberViewer Před 2 lety +3

      Even more true just a hundred year ago! Can you even imagine how difficult it would have been to find cassava in France, or sharp cheddar in Japan? Hell, imagine if you moved somewhere where your familiar cooking oil wasn't even available!

  • @aaronwanjala2992
    @aaronwanjala2992 Před 2 lety +96

    My favorite part of Lucas' commentary here are the lines he drew between his experiences (... congee *as I made it*...), his areas of expertise (... I am not a doctor but...), and the facts he's studied and came on to share (food science, I assume).
    I never felt like he represented his opinions as fact or overgeneralized on the topic.
    Very well done 👍

  • @GhilenPeek
    @GhilenPeek Před 2 lety +67

    Why hasn't any of the streaming services picked up this guy to do a show about Chinese food, I think this guy will do it justice.

  • @chillaxation
    @chillaxation Před 2 lety +159

    Just made arroz caldo for family meal for me and my staff a few days ago, perfect for the non-stop rain we're getting here in the Ilocos region in the Philippines. Topped with cubed deep fried tofu, soft boiled egg, scallions, crispy garlic, shredded chicken, patis (fish sauce) + kalamansi sauce, and hot chili oil for those of us who like that spice. ;) Cheers!

  • @chickenman2048
    @chickenman2048 Před 2 lety +131

    More Lucas please, I wouldn't mind spending hours just listening to him talking about the evolution of food.

  • @kistina0101
    @kistina0101 Před 2 lety +52

    7:12 "You introduce water and heat in different times, your mill grains are different textures and everybody will end up with very similar foods with the type of grains they grow in their local areas. What gets interesting is in terms of agriculture: what type of grains, filling you use, what else you add to that base, what textures are preferred (flakier/doughy flat bread, silky/bite congee)
    7:45 "That's how food ways moves around the world, my friends. Recipes and ingredients get shared as people move but the ingredients change because they are in different areas. Ingredients dont move the way ideas do, recipes do."

  • @spamandkimchi
    @spamandkimchi Před 2 lety +482

    This is how congee should be presented; authentically and respectfully. Not like how Breakfast Cure did, saying they “improved” congee for a “modern palate” aka whitewashing it. Thanks to Lucas and Munchies for such a detailed video.

    • @adz5856
      @adz5856 Před 2 lety +6

      agree. however no one makes congee like this video to be honest

    • @jirojhasuo2ndgrandcompany745
      @jirojhasuo2ndgrandcompany745 Před 2 lety +20

      I hate whitewashing. Westerners dont understand food and its history.

    • @PowerYoutuberViewer
      @PowerYoutuberViewer Před 2 lety +53

      The lady was absolutely in the wrong and disrespectful to claim she "improved" congee (it was some serious fucking hubris), but the issue wasn't due to authenticity. Authenticity isn't something that really exists. There's a huge number of variations within even traditional dishes, and even more when you account for modern interpretations and fusions.

    • @mindfulmusic1029
      @mindfulmusic1029 Před 2 lety +4

      I was hoping someone would comment on that lady😂

    • @midshipman8654
      @midshipman8654 Před 2 lety +22

      idk man, maybe “improve” isnt the right word, but cultures and times take stuff and change it to their own liking all the time. its not a matter of whitewashing, simply the diffusion of a thing that happens all the time between peoples to some extent. just like how koreans took some American foods like spam and made it their own.
      it could be an improvement from one point of view, its just faulty to universalize that claim.

  • @wolfingitdown2047
    @wolfingitdown2047 Před 2 lety +137

    Man, this guy is knowledgeable. Love listening to him

    • @charliep9066
      @charliep9066 Před 2 lety +4

      Knowledge does not equal wisdom! The problem with sounding so confident in speaking is that people will believe you even when you're WRONG! White rice has almost NO nutritional value, and it spikes blood sugar/insulin levels, so it does NOT keep you full very long - completely OPPOSITE of what he's saying. The only main benefit of congee is eating a LIGHT dish that's EAST TO DIGEST when you're sick or having stomach issues. Nothing to do with nutrition. Nothing to do with making you full. It might be economical to make a meal seem bigger, but it will not fill you up or give much nutrition AT ALL.

    • @wolfingitdown2047
      @wolfingitdown2047 Před 2 lety

      @@charliep9066 Although I agree with you on some of this and the fact that his dietary information was not factually sound, you have to admit that the cultural talking points and his delivery is very compelling. I would never turn to a chef for scientifically accurate information on nutrition, but I turn to them for inspiration and he fulfills that slot very well.

    • @charliep9066
      @charliep9066 Před 2 lety

      @@wolfingitdown2047I agree he’s a good storyteller. I’m just not a fan of passing fiction as fact, and then that challenges their credibility.

  • @JungleScene
    @JungleScene Před 2 lety +600

    "Every single culture has a freaking flatbread, every single culture has a freaking dumpling, and every single culture has a freaking grain porridge."
    Yes! I dont know why but it seems like so many people miss this glaring commonality between cuisines all over the world.

    • @bottomfeederfood
      @bottomfeederfood Před 2 lety +9

      This exact line of thought is in the book 'You and I Eat the Same' so good!!

    • @bakedpretzels1378
      @bakedpretzels1378 Před 2 lety +6

      I remember first realizing this after watching a food history video on rome. Before bread was ubiquitous they ate a wheat/barley porridge called puls both savory and sweet. Oatmeal, pinole, cream of wheat, polenta, puls, congee, even the acorn porridge made by many indigenous california tribes, the list goes on!

    • @FedericoLiuYang
      @FedericoLiuYang Před rokem +33

      This is why I find gatekeeping food really stupid. We all arrive to the same types of food one way or another.

    • @bankorama
      @bankorama Před rokem +12

      As a Thai-Chinese living in Thailand, I am unable to find examples of a flatbread nor a dumpling in Thai cuisine and our grain porridge is… surprise-surprise: copy-paste of Chinese cuisine, still bearing its name Southern Chinese dialect: “Jūk”.
      Despite Thais’ pride in our cuisine, there are some gaping holes in it. As another commentator here said it so well: gatekeeping a cuisine is pointless. We all got influenced by others and our ways also influence others.

    • @Jestersage
      @Jestersage Před rokem +4

      @@bankorama I think the universalistic of bread is base on assumption. Reasoning is that you need to be able to ground the grain into flour for bread (baked or griddle),
      But porridge is simple. Once you have Agriculture, Grain/Seed + water + pot + fire = porridge. Take rice: depend on how much care you placed in, what kind of fire, etc, it range from soupy rice water, to Cantonese style congee, to Japanese style thick congee, to just good old bowl of rice.
      Now, if you do not have eating utensiles, you make it drier, or even grind them up so they lump together and eat with hand. Dumpling doens't have to be filled with meat; just lump of grain is enough to be dumplings; contrast Zongzi (lump of grains) to British dumplings (flour lump) and Italian Gnocchi. I will even argue FuFu is dumpling.
      Now let's evolve it even more: The bread is dry. You soak it up in milk and then dry it back to a desirable texture - french toast. You soak it up in soup - then found it too big to eat, so you chop it up so you can eat it with spoon - paomo. Then you realize that you can just cut it up directly and put it in soup - british use spoon, so they have soup dumplings. Chinese use chopsticks, so they cut it into slice and have noodles.

  • @59Parks
    @59Parks Před 2 lety +18

    What Lucas sin does so well is to simultaneously connect this dish across cultures from Tamil to Northern China while not diminishing the unique variations of each region. I love how he can talk about how various places use rice and congee differently while also specifically identifying his own Hong Kong tradition

  • @nomaanalwi9495
    @nomaanalwi9495 Před 2 lety +21

    This guy needs to be on masterclass. Thoroughly love his historical lessons.

  • @Maro_MaroBCH
    @Maro_MaroBCH Před 2 lety +52

    He knows Arroz Caldo. Nice. A bit of
    Kalamansi and Fish Sauce just hits spot.

  • @seratonin3135
    @seratonin3135 Před 2 lety +14

    I think I’m going to be so obsessed with this series. Already he’s mentioned the history, science, why it’s eaten and even the ETYMOLOGY of the dish,,, I am so in love this is exactly the kind of cooking knowledge I wanted-the video is so lovingly well-rounded. Food is so fascinating but it’s such an everyday thing people have to do to live

  • @Pandarmoniummm
    @Pandarmoniummm Před 2 lety +58

    Lucas's knowledge is outstanding! Love the way he explains and breaks down the dish. Feeling very lucky to be able to learn from such talent.

    • @charliep9066
      @charliep9066 Před 2 lety

      Knowledge does not equal wisdom! The problem with sounding so confident in speaking is that people will believe you even when you're WRONG! White price has almost NO nutritional value, and it spikes blood sugar/insulin levels, so it does NOT keep you full very long - completely OPPOSITE of what he's saying. The only main benefit of congee is eating a LIGHT dish that's EAST TO DIGEST when you're sick or having stomach issues. Nothing to do with nutrition. Nothing to do with making you full. It might be economical to make a meal seem bigger, but it will not fill you up or give much nutrition AT ALL.

    • @jeiidedchen
      @jeiidedchen Před 2 lety

      @@charliep9066 Go touch some grass

  • @yourdestination6897
    @yourdestination6897 Před 2 lety +64

    This guy is like a younger J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, so informative and charming. Bring him on more!

  • @AA-to3tv
    @AA-to3tv Před 2 lety +9

    I’m a grown man still eating this, it’s so great. All my kids love it. It’s just such an Asian thing

  • @Chaarlay
    @Chaarlay Před 2 lety +22

    came for the congee recipe, stayed for the insightful history lesson on grain porridge around the world

  • @smudgybuzz
    @smudgybuzz Před 2 lety +39

    I love his cerebral approach of demonstration. He could be a professor and is instead a chef. That speaks to a passion.

    • @BD-lq4id
      @BD-lq4id Před 2 lety +3

      He's saying a whole lot of nothing. His words are pretty empty and void of much substance or even the poetry to justify how long he takes to say something trivial.

    • @amsd1231
      @amsd1231 Před 2 lety +15

      @@BD-lq4id I got a lot of information out of it and it seems a lot of people on the comment section did too so if you think his words are empty then it's you who couldn't catch the message.

    • @BD-lq4id
      @BD-lq4id Před 2 lety

      @@amsd1231 thats not a logical conclusion you can make. so im not suprised you think you gleaned a lot from this. the dude said he uses jasmine rice for the 'rice rice' flavor. what kind of cerebral speach is that lmaooo

  • @MrVHI123
    @MrVHI123 Před 2 lety +11

    Is he a part-time chef but full-time historian philosopher? I love it! More Lucas please!!!

  • @syc8150
    @syc8150 Před 2 lety +23

    Grain: Exists
    Water: Exists
    Humans: You know the rules, and so do I

  • @Freshmanger2009
    @Freshmanger2009 Před 2 lety +43

    What a beautiful well spoken man.

  • @katrabbit
    @katrabbit Před 2 lety +8

    I've started watching this channel more now, because of this Chef.
    The way he talks about the foods history while explaining the chemistry behind the food is refreshing and lovely to listen to.
    I hope he has plenty of success in whatever he chooses 🙇🏽‍♀️

  • @shiroigane
    @shiroigane Před 2 lety +31

    It seems quite similar to “rice water” in Ghana. Usually made when someone is sick; sometimes with milk or/and sugar added (depending on the preference).

  • @petercao5054
    @petercao5054 Před 2 lety +55

    I made congee just a couple days ago, I love making it it’s very nostalgic for me and I use chicken broth, garlic and ginger as the base with jasmine rice and I top with green onions and sautéed shallots. It’s such a wonderful meal and I really only had it when I was sick! So it’s cool to make it again especially when you are short on rice.

  • @abuasfur7334
    @abuasfur7334 Před 2 lety +12

    Bangladeshis have something similar in the month of ramadhan or when one is sick. Its slow cooked rice porridge, sometimes made with lentils. It's usually finished with onions fried in clarified butter (ghee)

    • @healinggrounds19
      @healinggrounds19 Před 2 lety

      Anything with lentils is delicious!

    • @kourii
      @kourii Před 2 lety

      Everything about that sounds dope! I will have to look into it

  • @Regalman
    @Regalman Před 7 měsíci +2

    This man is a true chef and loves what he does.

  • @MsSilverkate
    @MsSilverkate Před 2 lety +57

    Does this Chef have a cooking show? I would - will watch him all day. I love the instructions and information.

    • @radicalpaddyo
      @radicalpaddyo Před 2 lety +3

      He's great, really dynamic and knowledgeable like your favourite professor doing a lecture

  • @fizahpgm
    @fizahpgm Před 2 lety +5

    Congee always reminds me of my grandfather. He passed away when I was 4, so I can't remember most moments I spent with him. Him making me congee is an exception - I remember vividly how he led us both to the brown tiled kitchen, and how he never spoke when serving it to me. How I stood on a chair to watch what he was doing, and how much I enjoyed his company then. Until now I haven't found any congee more comforting than his.
    Love how informational this video is btw, Lucas did an amazing job educating us on this topic. Thank you :)

  • @usnasi4439
    @usnasi4439 Před 2 lety +20

    After harvesting the rice, my grandma used to roughly separate the whole grains from broken ones. She would keep the broken ones for Kanji. Although we, South Indians, don't eat Kanji regularly, even a hint of sickness would make my mom make kanji. Now I do the same for my kids.Rich people at that time used to add milk to the kanji while poorer people added water. It is always a vegetarian dish and after seeing chicken congee, I am going to try this.
    Kaji is can be digested easily and this will release lot of sugar at one time into the blood.So people who are suffering from diabetes should be careful.

    • @malllxuz6889
      @malllxuz6889 Před 2 lety

      well we South Indians used to eat kanji regularly, In the olden days!!
      but now we eat it whenever we can.
      I don't know why it stopped. Nowadays in my family we eat more meat. I think some people think of KANJI as "poor people" food

    • @KoshyCherian1
      @KoshyCherian1 Před 2 měsíci

      @@malllxuz6889during lent the church gives kanji every week 😁

  • @_parcik
    @_parcik Před 2 lety +2

    Probably one of the best videos on Munchies: amazing way of explaining things from the chef and so smooth with navigating us through the whole process. More videos with Lucas please!

  • @unamericano
    @unamericano Před 2 lety +2

    This man's understanding and enthusiasm for food history and the connectivity and respect of food evolution is infectious! One of the best food communicators I've seen in a long time. Thank you Chef Sin.

  • @rsv8506
    @rsv8506 Před 2 lety +42

    I just had a face slap moment. Halfway through this when he started talking about how the word came from Portuguese, I realized that he's talking about canja. All this time watching videos in English where they talk about this mysterious "congee" dish, I never realized the connection. It's just canja. Although as he said, usually with canja the rice doesn't break down.

    • @mangopickle7572
      @mangopickle7572 Před 2 lety +10

      You mean how he said that the word came from India and then subsequently became part of Portugese culture?

    • @paulogarcia1766
      @paulogarcia1766 Před 2 lety +5

      I loved that he made that point in the video. For all the uniqueness in food culture throughout the world, all the basic grain dishes are highly similar. Everyone has a porridge made of one part grain and many parts liquid.

  • @budjitresvalles6397
    @budjitresvalles6397 Před 2 lety +65

    We had chicken congee yesterday. We call it Arroz Caldo here in the PH. But its almost the same as the Chinese Congee, as demo bu Lucas. We put Turmeric to make the porridge look yellow, and in some parts of the country, they put the cheap-kind of Saffron (or I think its Saffron 😆, called Kasubha). One gets red slivers on the porridge, and this makes it so special! We don’t usually put century egg, but hard boiled egg is enough. And to add more flavor, we add garlic chips, sliced green onions, cracked peppercorns. Yum/sarap! Kain na po tayo!

    • @Toidal
      @Toidal Před 2 lety +1

      9:18

    • @julienneangelocarpo2229
      @julienneangelocarpo2229 Před 2 lety +1

      GOTO is my favourite! Depending on the quality of tripe (which sometimes puts me off) add toyo mansi, little bit of Chili, mee Goreng, garlic, calamansi, egg. OOH WEE the hot soup I really really miss

    • @ZenYorkfield
      @ZenYorkfield Před 2 lety +2

      Kasubha is Safflower, not Saffron.

  • @wehavenocake
    @wehavenocake Před 2 lety +71

    Lucas can talk Chinese cooking to me anytime. ❤ And yes, Century eggs ARE beautiful. But I never break it into the rice because I like whole pieces in my congee.

    • @viktorcheng2061
      @viktorcheng2061 Před 2 lety +7

      As kids eating century eggs congee, it was difficult to explain this to non-Asian kids, they think we were eating something disgusting

    • @SansBalance
      @SansBalance Před 2 lety +4

      Why not both! :D Break up one for cooking with rice, and have another quarter--no, half--cubed on top of finished congee!

    • @lisaisa
      @lisaisa Před 2 lety +1

      What does it taste like?

    • @SansBalance
      @SansBalance Před 2 lety +2

      @@lisaisa The egg white portion turns into a stiff dark gelatin, with what I think is faint egg white taste but … changed . The yolk is dark yellow-green cream, rich like any egg yolk, but definitely has a unique flavor I can’t quite describe with words.
      Rather than the flavors, it’s the colors and the yolk texture I think people not used to it would find difficult to handle.
      Probably the easiest way to get used to century egg is to mash or finely cube it and mix with cubed silken tofu and soy sauce and garnish with finely chopped green onion.
      Then, take a spoonful (with eyes closed if you have to) and enjoy. 😋

    • @co0kii
      @co0kii Před 2 lety +3

      my mum actually forbid me from eating too much century egg saying it’s not healthy for kids…now I wonder if it’s a ploy so she could have more century egg because I would have just kept on going

  • @deansky-lucas7880
    @deansky-lucas7880 Před 2 lety +1

    That was so beautiful, thank you!! I am a classical musician and foodie and it's so nice to hear you talk about staple dishes all around the world and the food ideas that travel around the globe with them. This is exactly the case with music as well. And we all know that music and food are brilliant friends.
    The best of health to you and your family!!

  • @tarkovtxusa6626
    @tarkovtxusa6626 Před 2 lety +8

    Congee with chicken, ginger and green onion cures everything and the flavor is amazing.

  • @mariawu6952
    @mariawu6952 Před 2 lety +4

    I was the same year as Lucas Sin and frequented his many popup restaurants around campus. It's great to see him continuing his culinary passion.

  • @smoothent1
    @smoothent1 Před 2 lety +1

    As im hospitalized with covid19, this oppressive hospital food has only made me crave congee. God bless my mom who came through today with this bowl of God's greatest healing gift

  • @gab.lab.martins
    @gab.lab.martins Před 2 lety +17

    5:58 I'm Brazilian. How THE FUCK have I not realised until now that "canja de galinha" is literally chicken congee?!?!

  • @lennykyles2249
    @lennykyles2249 Před 2 lety +10

    ONE HELLUVA JOB OF EXPLAINING HIS PREPARATION OF HIS DISH.

  • @YourFriendJeff
    @YourFriendJeff Před 2 lety +5

    More lucas! He is so articulate and a GREAT storyteller

  • @millypox101
    @millypox101 Před 2 lety +1

    My first Lucas Sin video, and i'm already a huge fan of him.
    I've never seen a chef be so respectful of food and the various cultures around the world.

  • @gp1567
    @gp1567 Před 2 lety

    The flow and clarity of his narration makes this video even more pleasurable to watch.

  • @magicmonster22
    @magicmonster22 Před 2 lety +11

    Lucas is such a lovely and thoughtful person. The energy and time they take to explain things here and on their instagram is an absolute gift. Thank you so much, Lucas!

  • @Qub3rs
    @Qub3rs Před 2 lety +10

    Loved this video. A lesson in congee and in how food is prepared similarly in different places with different ingredients. I would love to see more videos like this.

  • @SK-kj1ge
    @SK-kj1ge Před rokem +1

    I'm binging every single Lucas Sin video I can find - where has this guy been all my life

  • @HLISocialMedia
    @HLISocialMedia Před 2 lety +1

    One of the best narrated and informative cooking videos I've ever seen.

  • @radium05
    @radium05 Před 2 lety +10

    This was as perfect as a chemistry class from a professor who really appreciates understanding among his students.

  • @Anna-ip8ub
    @Anna-ip8ub Před 2 lety +8

    Love how knowledgeable he is. It’s so nice to have someone is familiar with the food talk about it and acknowledge large the variety is.

    • @charliep9066
      @charliep9066 Před 2 lety

      Knowledge does not equal wisdom! The problem with sounding so confident in speaking is that people will believe you even when you're WRONG! White price has almost NO nutritional value, and it spikes blood sugar/insulin levels, so it does NOT keep you full very long - completely OPPOSITE of what he's saying. The only main benefit of congee is eating a LIGHT dish that's EAST TO DIGEST when you're sick or having stomach issues. Nothing to do with nutrition. Nothing to do with making you full. It might be economical to make a meal seem bigger, but it will not fill you up or give much nutrition AT ALL.

    • @jetungnnifer
      @jetungnnifer Před 5 měsíci

      ⁠@@charliep9066lmao imagine being so condescending over the most minor differences. Congee does make you feel fuller with less rice, the water content and other things to add to it helps fill the stomach.

  • @elizabethmoore522
    @elizabethmoore522 Před 2 lety +1

    I love everything about this channel. Yesterday I discovered this channel and I'm hooked. Thank you for the recipes and the history, every one of your videos are easy to listen, watch and learn.

  • @kilianm.8651
    @kilianm.8651 Před 2 lety +17

    Really interesting video, I always love when Lucas is on the show !

  • @pinklilyz420
    @pinklilyz420 Před rokem +3

    I have stomach issues and my Chinese boyfriend made congee for me swearing it would be good for my stomach and it's the only thing that always makes me feel better. I eat it for breakfast every morning now. It's so comforting. I always add a soft boiled egg, yam, and green onion. It's so good and no more stomach issues 🥰

  • @annquach6613
    @annquach6613 Před 2 lety +8

    The cantonese chicken soup for the soul. Love it with century egg. There's so many variations it is among one of my favorite foods.

  • @Thubanshee
    @Thubanshee Před rokem +1

    This guy is extremely adorable, the way he talks about the food is so interesting yet easy to understand. Its really obvious he loves what he’s doing and talking about.

  • @jauipop
    @jauipop Před 2 lety +4

    When I lived in Zurich for 6 months earlier this year and during winter, I made myself quinoa congee all the time. Not fully traditional, but with the right sides and condiments, it was just as comforting for me. I'm now in Bangkok and I love how I can get congee on delivery when I'm craving it.

  • @Toidal
    @Toidal Před 2 lety +34

    'Fills you up and stops you from eating things you arent supposed to eat when sick'
    *Looks down at the 500 cal deep fried youtiao I'm ripping up and putting in my congee*

    • @serinad9434
      @serinad9434 Před 2 lety +1

      I'm so glad I'm not the only one who does this! I absolutely shove a double handful of it, chopped up, into my jook!

    • @Nanorisk
      @Nanorisk Před 2 lety

      Fried dough isn’t that back when it’s not in great quantity.

    • @ai00436
      @ai00436 Před 2 lety

      I just dip the you tiao into the congee

  • @oscartaniii9222
    @oscartaniii9222 Před 2 lety +3

    It's amazing how much history Lucas is bringing into his videos.

  • @GhilledM21
    @GhilledM21 Před 2 lety +1

    the depth and richness of his explanations alone- not even mentioning his cooking- is why I will always watch this dude. More of him, pay him well, keep him around.

  • @marijkeschellenbach2680

    I can listen to you all night! I am loving all the tidbits of information I learn from you.

  • @xoxobrialee
    @xoxobrialee Před 2 lety +18

    I enjoyed every part of this video. Lucas is so knowledgeable and made this very enjoyable to watch. More of this please!!

  • @reuski8946
    @reuski8946 Před 2 lety +10

    Lucas is definitely one of my favourite chefs to watch. His focus on the cultural and technical aspects of food is almost unmatched, really, love the dude

  • @Khrnns
    @Khrnns Před 2 lety +1

    it's my first time watching Lucas' video. i randomly stumbled upon it and i am glad i actually watched it. thanks youtube's algorithm! i love how he doesnt only learn how to cook food but he also actually learns the history of the food. lucas is trully amazing!

  • @sr_vbt
    @sr_vbt Před 2 lety +2

    I love watching your videos Lucas Sin! Thank you for creating a series that teaches us about asian cuisine :)

  • @DavidinNYC
    @DavidinNYC Před 2 lety +4

    Plain congee with different condiments has always been my comfort food.

  • @crabmansteve6844
    @crabmansteve6844 Před 2 lety +8

    I love grains.
    I come from a corn culture, where rice was introduced and quickly gained almost equal standing.

  • @paddymeere9870
    @paddymeere9870 Před 2 lety +1

    Such a great communicator and so well informed!

  • @tomwang559
    @tomwang559 Před 2 lety +1

    My boy Lucas dropping food and knowledge! He talks like this in real life always educates us about our meal in his sweet, calming demeanor. A real treat!

  • @rjbalbuena7789
    @rjbalbuena7789 Před 2 lety +8

    This was my miracle food when I got covid. I couldnt eat almost for a week. As soon as my mom came home and made this my taste and smell came back immediately and i had 3 bowls the first time it was served. Thank god for simple foods. And thank you mom

  • @garlicgirl3149
    @garlicgirl3149 Před 2 lety +3

    What I like about learning other cultures food is we pretty much eat the same thing but we can find a new way to eat them without more cost. That is so much fun. :)

  • @ovh992
    @ovh992 Před 2 lety

    Great video! So much historical and culinary knowledge. More like this please!

  • @foongjunemeng8935
    @foongjunemeng8935 Před 2 lety +5

    That's some nice smooth congee and Lucas certainly knows his stuff . I love mine with the pork meatballs . Few drops of sesame oil and some white pepper to make it perfect.

  • @harshan7935
    @harshan7935 Před 2 lety +5

    I just realized it's "கஞ்சி" in Tamil (basically the same pronunciation as Congee) and like Lucas mentioned, we Tamils have this dish in our own variation. We are deeply connected than we think. 😌🤍

  • @chimsseh5523
    @chimsseh5523 Před 2 lety

    A storyteller who makes stellar dishes. A chef’s kiss.

  • @jesuisteresa
    @jesuisteresa Před 2 lety +1

    More Lucas please!! Loved it

  • @ibonnie1047
    @ibonnie1047 Před 2 lety +3

    Wowww. I just realized we been eating accidental congee in my house for years! Chicken soup and Mexican meatball soup we add rice to, and the leftovers are basically porridge, by accident! Because the rice sits in fluid for so many hours it just turns to porridge.. I dig it tho!

  • @PriestessAusetRaAmen
    @PriestessAusetRaAmen Před 2 lety +12

    Yassss loving the Congee and his voice. Come through!!!

  • @razultull
    @razultull Před 2 lety +1

    Fantastically articulate host, need more of this guy.

  • @anversailles
    @anversailles Před 2 lety +2

    Porridge is a universal comfort food. Always love to see Lucas on this show.

  • @shiolei
    @shiolei Před 2 lety +153

    Killer video, especially the parts touching on the grain porridge equivalents in different cultures.

    • @imilic8
      @imilic8 Před 2 lety +4

      yep, food anthropology is fascinating. and this chef obviously is familiar on the subject

  • @calumsowhat
    @calumsowhat Před 2 lety +3

    I miss my mum's congee. My perfect comfort food :)

  • @triley3187
    @triley3187 Před rokem +1

    Lucas is a true culinary educator telling stories of culture from around the world and reminding us that this recipe belongs to the world and it has no borders only variations we are all singing the same song just in different languages in different places! 🌎

  • @wonhome2711
    @wonhome2711 Před 2 lety +1

    Luscas is one of the best on-camera cooks, no-nonsense, gives interesting background on a dish, articulate, nice voice, and good looking.

  • @ImsenCooking
    @ImsenCooking Před 2 lety +3

    This Chef looks so calm!! Thumbs up if u agree!!!

  • @3LLT33
    @3LLT33 Před 2 lety +5

    PREACH! Every culture has a flatbread, a dumpling, and a porridge!

    • @msi8311
      @msi8311 Před 2 lety

      Stew and roll too

  • @changwilliamwang
    @changwilliamwang Před rokem +1

    As a Chinese person growing up eating Congee, this is also very informational and interesting to watch! He is such an amazing educator!

  • @redrobotmonkey
    @redrobotmonkey Před 2 lety

    This guy is so great at explaining congee. As well, the survivor fact was super cool. More Lucas.

  • @viktorcheng2061
    @viktorcheng2061 Před 2 lety +115

    Strange to see jook in the limelight nowadays. As kids, we use to eat jook to cure colds and fevers or to stretch rice to feed a large family, just to save money.

    • @DoctorMcHerp
      @DoctorMcHerp Před 2 lety +10

      It's filling, comforting, peasant food, which at the end of the day is one of the best things to eat anyway.

    • @RyanFrizey
      @RyanFrizey Před 2 lety +14

      Glad to see it referred to as jook here too, just as i did as a kid.

    • @MMMmyshawarma
      @MMMmyshawarma Před 2 lety

      I was really hoping the covid vaccine made me feel ill just so I can call out of work and eat a bowl on the couch. But I felt totally fine. Since we been masking, I haven't gotten a lil cold or anything.

    • @emmylim6715
      @emmylim6715 Před 2 lety +6

      @@MMMmyshawarma You can eat jook just for fun too! I usually make it with already cooked rice for convenience sake so it's a really easy weeknight meal.

    • @davidphan100
      @davidphan100 Před 2 lety +1

      Basically what risotto was for to stretch out rice yet nowadays restaurants sell a plate for £15. Congee is very much similar to risotto but obviously cooked more