Quick congee (San gwan juk)

Instructions

1. For the basic congee, wash the rice, then drain and put it in the freezer for at least 8 hours. (If you don't have time, you can skip this step but it reduces the cooking time and results in a silkier texture.)
2. Combine the rice and 2.5 litres water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the rice has broken down and the congee has thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (If the rice hasn't been in the freezer, the cooking time will be about 3 hours.) If you're eating the congee plain, at this point, you can season the congee with a pinch of salt and white pepper.
3. For the quick congee, place the fish, white pepper, soy sauce and cornflour in a medium bowl and toss together well. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Warm up the basic congee and stock or water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
5. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan (preferably non-stick) over high heat, add the ginger and fish in a single layer. Leave the fish untouched for about 30 seconds, then add the Shaoxing wine. Pour in the congee mixture and bring to the boil to cook the fish. This should take about 10 minutes.
6. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the spring onion and coriander and serve immediately.