Why We Eat Congee, The Humble Rice Porridge

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/e...
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[@lucasotis9525]

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

[@indiancowpissdrinker7151]

gud

[@radium05]

Like a food chemistry-anthropologist.

[@diyamukesh]

Seconded!

[@Trokemaster3]

@@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]

and a good storyteller.

[@daycart]

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

[@KessuPutte]

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

[@KessuPutte]

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

[@Joekool88]

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

[@R700Sparkles]

@@davidsuratgar1139 yeah he mentions that in the video

[@geaninaschiopu5911]

True

[@MsSister76]

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]

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]

@@jmaywald tldr version

[@sheab101]

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]

God bless you

[@jasonbell9212]

Beautiful story. I had happy tears.

[@Littlestraincloud]

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

[@reklom2334]

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

[@melchaos5288]

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]

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

[@kengpiseth8837]

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

[@stevethea5250]

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

[@desubysnusnu]

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]

@@desubysnusnu the congee expands in volume too

[@1Life4Death]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

@@300blackcats ok so go make minestrone instead

[@sonickgq]

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]

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]

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

[@jivexturk3y]

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]

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

[@Itskal3]

@@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.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

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.

[@18ekaf]

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]

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]

Chinese cooking demystified is an amazing channel for Chinese food history

[@isaacs8783]

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

[@bowieworld]

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

[@Towkeeyoh]

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…

[@CaptainSlowbeard]

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.

[@kuhdeejugh]

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]

setuju

[@vishnu2407]

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

[@paddyyou]

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

[@MickeyAndMore]

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

[@kuhdeejugh]

@@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]

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]

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

[@studioanf]

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

[@ginjiseiji]

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

[@Shane-un8pe]

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

[@jpvgoncalves]

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.

[@aaronwanjala2992]

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 👍

[@chillaxation]

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!

[@ryankramer3874]

Sounds amazing! 🤤

[@YumiHirugani]

SARAP

[@sagittar3407]

Huhuhu kagutom!

[@xivmercenary]

We eat this in Mexico Growing up having caldo de pollo con arroz

[@chickenman2048]

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

[@testdasi]

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]

I am going to try your recipe! Thanks!

[@clintjosephshaji3618]

No spices?

[@TekuMehku]

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

[@darn721]

@@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]

@@darn721 no soy sauce

[@kistina0101]

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."

[@GhilenPeek]

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.

[@sreerajnambiar2924]

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

[@PowerYoutuberViewer]

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!

[@59Parks]

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

[@seratonin3135]

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]

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]

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]

@@charliep9066 Go touch some grass

[@petercao5054]

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.

[@katrabbit]

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 🙇🏽‍♀️

[@fizahpgm]

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 :)

[@yourdestination6897]

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

[@MrVHI123]

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

[@shiroigane]

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).

[@jonathanputrahartono4774]

indian style :)

[@MsJayski]

Peak milk 😂😀

[@Maro_MaroBCH]

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

[@nomaanalwi9495]

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

[@abuasfur7334]

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]

Anything with lentils is delicious!

[@kourii]

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

[@wolfingitdown2047]

Man, this guy is knowledgeable. Love listening to him

[@charliep9066]

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]

@@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]

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

[@MsSilverkate]

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

[@radicalpaddyo]

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

[@AA-to3tv]

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

[@mariawu6952]

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.

[@unamericano]

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.

[@usnasi4439]

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]

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

[@Anna-ip8ub]

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]

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]

⁠@@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.

[@b3blueblue]

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]

9:18

[@julienneangelocarpo2229]

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]

Kasubha is Safflower, not Saffron.

[@annquach6613]

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.

[@Chaarlay]

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

[@SK-kj1ge]

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

[@tarkovtxusa6626]

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

[@magicmonster22]

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!

[@wehavenocake]

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]

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

[@SansBalance]

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

[@lisaisa]

What does it taste like?

[@SansBalance]

@@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]

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

[@lennykyles2249]

ONE HELLUVA JOB OF EXPLAINING HIS PREPARATION OF HIS DISH.

[@reuski8946]

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

[@_parcik]

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!

[@Freshmanger2009]

What a beautiful well spoken man.

[@Thubanshee]

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.

[@smudgybuzz]

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

[@BD-lq4id]

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]

@@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]

@@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

[@Regalman]

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

[@rjbalbuena7789]

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

[@johannabonana5306]

I'm glad I went into the comments and see that it is full of the things I wanted to say. This guy is so incredibly knowledgeable and articulate. The things he is sharing sound deeply personal. Great video.

[@jauipop]

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.

[@millypox101]

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.

[@radium05]

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

[@GhilledM21]

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.

[@YourFriendJeff]

More lucas! He is so articulate and a GREAT storyteller

[@deansky-lucas7880]

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!!

[@Qub3rs]

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.

[@gp1567]

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

[@kilianm.8651]

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

[@tomwang559]

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!

[@crabmansteve6844]

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

[@Khrnns]

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!

[@pinklilyz420]

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 🥰

[@kpy852]

Very eloquent and informative chef!

[@rsv8506]

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]

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

[@paulogarcia1766]

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.

[@aliswyn]

I love how you speak and explain things. I learned a lot, thank you! And your skin is glowing, very healthy!

[@garlicgirl3149]

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. :)

[@spamandkimchi]

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]

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

[@jirojhasuo2ndgrandcompany745]

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

[@PowerYoutuberViewer]

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]

I was hoping someone would comment on that lady😂

[@midshipman8654]

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.

[@smoothent1]

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

[@xoxobrialee]

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

[@MrTobi013]

I learned about Congee while watching Chinese and Korean youtubers and it looked so comforting, that now I make sure to have myself a bowl every time I don't feel well, or if it's really cold outside! :D

[@foongjunemeng8935]

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.

[@getony7]

As a HongKonger, we grew up with different kinds of congee, and we all have our own style cooking congee little differ from here and there. It's just came naturally from our parents. But the amazing thing is that it's a lot of fun to watch the host explaining part of our culture. Good job Lucas! BTW, his Cantonese is....hahaha

[@oscartaniii9222]

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

[@elizabethmoore522]

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.

[@ibonnie1047]

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!

[@changwilliamwang]

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

[@DavidinNYC]

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

[@isaacyeon6334]

I’ve been watching some congee videos each video explains it as a “blank canvas you can work on” and “healing food”. It’s quite beautiful when something is so harmonious, even if it is food

[@d.harshan]

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. 😌🤍

[@anversailles]

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

[@syc8150]

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

[@neeblablaba]

My nonna would make me brodo di pollo when I was sick. it’s a slow simmered stock with very small pasta cooked through till the starch is released and it thickens. Same as congee it’s cooked with ingredients that are cheep and able to go a long way. It’s beautiful to see and try all of the different varieties of these foods and enjoy the similarities as well. Congee is so versatile and delicious.

[@Toidal]

'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]

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]

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

[@ai00436]

I just dip the you tiao into the congee

[@noonynoonynoo]

Where I'm from, broken rice grains are sifted out and sold at rice shops specifically for this purpose, so the particle size is smaller to start with. I've also tried the shortcut "instant" version of arroz caldo with steel cut oats and that gorgeous yellow from safflower blossoms. Perfect on a cold rainy day. I love how Lucas explains the food so thoroughly, I always learn something new and surprising from him :)

[@PriestessAusetRaAmen]

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

[@HLISocialMedia]

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

[@shiolei]

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

[@imilic8]

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

[@burnyizland]

Beautifully done. This is the first time I've been happy to listen to the chatter of the chef when all I want is the recipe. I almost felt like I was learning from family. I'm going to try to make this - I'm very sick (long term) and digestion is one very big part of that. I've been wanting porridge-like food but savory and we use oatmeal for porridge where I'm from so savory has never been an option. This is just what I need. Warm water helps already, so I can see this adding lots of nutrition to something that already works without overloading my system. Perfect invalid food, you're right.

[@viktorcheng2061]

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]

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

[@RyanFrizey]

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

[@MMMmyshawarma]

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]

@@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]

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

[@wonhome2711]

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

[@calumsowhat]

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

[@marijkeschellenbach2680]

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

[@ImsenCooking]

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

[@sycofya1677]

No

[@ImsenCooking]

@@sycofya1677 what?

[@sr_vbt]

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

[@Bumstany]

Haha as a fellow Survivor fan, I completely agree! The bland white rice eaten out of a coconut is so sad...maybe you could do a guest cameo ;)