Low-Carb, Keto-Friendly, Gluten-Free(assuming your TVP is GF)

If you ate congee before starting a low-carb diet, you probably miss it. Congee is a tasty savory porridge that is made with rice and chicken broth. It’s a Chinese comfort food (I also find it very comforting), but rice is not compatible with a low-carb and grain-free diet.

I was experimenting with making a hot cereal with TVP, and I had the thought that if I could make a sweet porridge, I could also make a savory one. And thus the low-carb congee recipe was born.

TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. It’s made from plant sources and it takes the flavor of whatever you put it in. It’s very high in protein, a good source of fiber, and the net carbs are low enough that it works well in low-carb recipes if you use it in reasonable quantities.

Ingredients:

4 C Chicken stock

2 C TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)

1/2 T grated ginger (about 1/2″)

Salt & pepper to taste

For Garnish:

Tamari sauce/GF soy sauce (they are the same thing)

Sesame oil

Green onion

Preserved duck egg (optional, but worth it)

Combine the stock and TVP in a pot and simmer covered on med-low heat for about 45 minutes. The TVP will be very soft and have absorbed much of the liquid when it’s ready. Add the ginger about 5 minutes before it’s done simmering.

With an immersion blender, blend half the pot until it’s fairly smooth, and blend the other half lightly. Because the way the TVP acts in the pot, it’s actually quite easy to see which parts you’ve already blended. You want to end up with a bit of texture, but you also want a thick porridge. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or food processor, but be careful because hot liquid can behave in unexpected ways in a blender.

After you’ve got the right texture, add salt and pepper to taste.

The recipe should make 5 cups of finished congee, which is 5 servings. Place 1 cup of congee in a bowl, lightly drizzle with tamari sauce and sesame oil, and add some green onion on top.

I realize that preserved duck eggs can be a hard sell to westerners, but I promise, they aren’t the horror you’re imagining. I usually slice half half an egg in a bowl, and cut the slices into smaller pieces when eating. They can be found at Asian markets, and if you’ve never had one, you should give them a try.

One serving (with egg) has:

8.3g fat

6.3g net carbs (12.3g total carbs)

28.2g protein

10% RDA Vitamin A

16% RDA Calcium

29% RDA Iron