I wrote recently about my “Food Adventures” at the America’s Food and Beverage Show (see 10-23-23 posts). It’s very informative every year to learn about and taste new products being introduced to the market. One such product at the year’s show was Cahokia Rice, a grain grown in the village of McClure, Illinois, close to the Mississippi River.

Last week I thought I’d try the package of rice I brought home for a family favorite comfort meal, congee. I enjoy making this dish with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and chicken or shrimp that might be on-hand (see 7-13-20, 12-28-20, 8-17-21 posts). Most congee recipes call for Asian short grain rice. I do that sometimes. Usually, however, I use the long grain rice always stocked in my pantry.

Many years ago, while in graduate school, I frequently cooked Sunday dinners (meals were limited in the dorms on Sunday) for a good friend and me. I usually fixed some meat, vegetable, and rice. The Asian students were shocked that I, an American, knew how to prepare rice correctly. Their limited impressions were that Americans did not eat rice, just potatoes. My mother’s Greek Jewish kitchen always had rice in one form or another, in stuffed vegetables, rice pilaf, and rice pudding.

At this point, I cobble together a few congee recipes stashed on my computer depending upon what’s on hand. This time, I had some cooked chicken in the freezer, celery, onion, fresh mushrooms, and dried mushrooms.

Congee. Wash 1 cup or rice til the water runs clear. Soak the dried mushrooms (a small handful). Finely chop your vegetables and cooked chicken: the fresh and dried mushrooms, celery, and onion. Add two tbsp. of sesame oil to a medium sauce pan, add the rice and still tile the rice is coated and translucent.

Add 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock to the rice. Bring to a boil, cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. Add the vegetables, and chicken cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped scallions).

The Cahokia rice cooked in this style broke up nicely yet still had a bit of a bite to it. It’s a versatile rice.