Dear Kindness,

Congee is the ultimate comfort food. As the autumn weather gets colder, the number of bowls of congee our household consumed, also stacks up. For one, it is such a cozy nourishing meal, easy to eat and always feels like a hug in a bowl. Two, it is the perfect dish for fridge cleaning day which requires very little effort but a big return in flavour.

READ MORE OR JUMP INTO THE RECIPE HERE

Every year pre-covid we gather at my aunt’s for Thanksgiving. Guess what is the most sought-after take-home leftover? The Turkey bones first and the meat second! Any cook knows the golden potential of these bones when released into a broth. A phenomenal deep and rich broth like none other!

I think we all can take a break from the kitchen a day (or a week) after the big feast. That is why the day after Thanksgiving has been the unofficial Pumpkin and Left Over Roasted Turkey Congee day for us. I love that this congee is almost fail-proof and versatile with what you’d like to add or skip. The broth and congee are cooked together in an instant pot / high-pressure cooker for under 40 minutes. You can go about doing your day and get back with this amazing meal.

Watch me putting this congee together for you!

This year we made the congee simply with the addition of chopped pumpkins. It adds such a delicate sweetness and creaminess to the congee that compliments the savoury notes from left-over Turkey. I especially enjoy the velvety texture and the pop of bright yellow colour it adds when you blend some of the pumpkins with the congee. I love to add some nutmeg, ginger, and celery into the broth to enhance the savoury aroma.

The congee is dressed with some homemade fried shallots, chopped scallions, lots of freshly cracked white pepper ( it has to be white as black pepper overpowered the white meat-trust me), sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce. I’d say this congee is a perfect mix-match of East and West cuisines. Would you give it a try?

If you do, please tag me @milkofthykindness on Instagram, I would love to hear how you like it!

Xx,

M