What do the Chinese eat for breakfast?  This isn't a question that's likely to arise in the average cooking class. Like dessert, we don't tend to think of breakfast in connection with Chinese cooking.   And the truth is that many westerners would be reluctant to try it.  While we think of rice as belonging at the dinner table, in many parts of China this nutritious staple is consumed three times daily, including for breakfast.

Nonetheless, there's more similarity between a Chinese and western breakfast than it would first appear.  Many Chinese begin their day with a warm bowl of congee, a watery rice gruel that bears a marked resemblance to porridge. But while even the most devoted fan of porridge would probably balk at being forced to consume the white stuff day after day, the variety of seasonings used to make congee ensure that it need not ever become boring.   Congee can be sweet or savory; seasoned with everything from chicken to mushrooms.   Often, the meat is marinated before being added to the rice.

The word congee (also known as jook in Canton) comes from the Indian "kanji", which refers to the water in which the rice has been boiled.  (In parts of India today the word congee still refers both to the boiled water and the rice dish itself).   In Chinese Food, Kenneth Lo notes that congee serves two purposes - besides warming the body, it takes the place of a beverage, as the Chinese don't normally serve cold drinks.

Just as a morning cup of cafe au lait and a croissant are de rigueur for the French, crullers are the food of choice to serve with congee. Also known as "deep-fried devils," crullers are twisted strips of dough - approximately twelve inches long - that have been deep-fried in oil.  Their nickname, "deep-fried devils," is derived from ancient legend.  During the time of Confucius, a government official falsely accused Yueh Fei, a famous scholar and poet, of treason.  Yueh Fei was subsequently put to death. The Chinese name for the dish, "Yu Za Kuei" translates literally into deep-fried devils.  Frying the crullers in oil symbolizes the government official and everyone who participated in the scheme being deep-fried in oil for eternity. 

While they can be made at home, crullers ("you tiao" in Chinese) are a popular item at hawker's stands. They are dipped in warm congee, the same way you would dip a doughnut into a cup of coffee. In northern China, where wheat is the staple crop, crullers are dipped into a thin soymilk, which can be either sweet or salty. 

I've included a basic recipe for congee from The Encyclopedia of Asian Food, and a quick and easy recipe for Deep-fried Crullers that uses frozen bread dough from GourMAsia.  Below them you'll find links to another congee recipe and a more authentic recipe for you tiao or crullers. 

Makes 2 meal-sized portions, or 4 breakfast bowls

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons short or medium grain rice
1 litre/2 pints/4 cups water

Directions:

1. Put rice and water into a saucepan, bring quickly to the boil.
2. Stir, then reduce heat but allow rice to remain at a brisk simmer. Place lid on pan, leaving it slightly open so the congee doesn't bubble up and spill over. In 45 - 50 minutes the congee should be ready.
3. A popular addition is thin slices of fresh white fish, which are dropped into individual bowls just before the boiling congee is ladled in. Small bowls of sliced spring onions, fresh chillies and chopped fresh coriander are also offered.

Note: A quick way to make congee is to use leftover cooked white rice, add water or stock to cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until it is a gruel.
(Recipe reprinted courtesy of Raincoast Publications)

Chinese Crullers
(Fried Devils)

24 crullers

Ingredients

1 loaf frozen bread dough
oil for deep frying

Directions

1. Thaw bread dough overnight in the refrigerator. About 1 hour before using, remove from the refrigerator and tear dough into about 24 pieces. Roll each between your hands to form a long sausage.  Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. Heat oil for deep-frying. When oil is ready, take each strip of dough and pull, twisting both ends before dropping into the oil. Deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
   (Recipe reprinted courtesy of GourMAsia)

Go to my Previous Features