Recipes Comfort Food Spicy Sesame, Bacon, and Egg Congee 5.0 (1) 2 Reviews Taking a cue from Chef Mei Lin of Nightshade, we’re adding spicy pork, creamy egg yolks, and crunchy sesame to classic rice congee. Low and slow cooking is the key to its great texture; adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle bubble that results in tender grains. By Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman Kelsey Jane Youngman is a New York–based cook, baker, writer, and editor for Food & Wine with over 7 years of experience in food media. Kelsey has developed recipes, worked in culinary production, starred in cooking videos, and baked cookies for Cookie Monster.Expertise: recipe development, cooking, baking, food styling.Experience: Kelsey Jane Youngman has spent her life in kitchens, and began her professional training at the San Francisco Cooking School before moving to New York City to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute. She completed an externship in the Good Housekeeping test kitchen and cooked on the line at several city restaurants before joining Food & Wine's test kitchen editorial team. There, Kelsey has managed the kitchens, tested and developed recipes, written feature stories, worked as a culinary producer on multiple video series, and starred in her own series, "The Best Way," as well as several episodes of "F&W Cooks." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 1, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio Active Time: 55 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 small shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise (about 1/4 cup) 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds 1 teaspoon gochugaru 1/2 pound bacon slices 8 cups water 3/4 cup uncooked short-grain white rice, rinsed under cold water 4 large egg yolks Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling Directions Stir together shallot, vinegar, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until salt and sugar dissolve. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together brown sugar, white and black sesame seeds, and gochugaru in a small bowl. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on a large aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes; flip bacon slices, and sprinkle with brown sugar mixture, pressing to adhere. Bake at 350°F until sugar has melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to a wire rack set inside another foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; let cool. Coarsely chop bacon, and set aside. Meanwhile, stir together 8 cups water and rice in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, gently stirring bottom and edges of pan with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, until congee is thick and creamy, about 45 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Ladle hot congee into 4 serving bowls; top each with 1 egg yolk. Top evenly with chopped bacon and pickled shallot, and drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Serve immediately. Make Ahead Cooked and cooled bacon may be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Notes Look for gochugaru (coarsely ground chile flakes) at your local Asian market. Rate it Print