Many Chinese peaple 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, congee serves two purposes -
besides warming the body, it takes the place of a beverage,
as the Chinese don't normally serve cold drinks.
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