Spelt Congee with Miso Braised Shallots and Pickled Granny Smiths

by Eden Owen-Jones March 25, 2024

Congee is a savoury rice porridge traditional in many East Asian cuisines. Here Eden substitutes pearled spelt to create a nutty, wholesome interpretation of congee. Topped with zingy pickled apple, sweet braised shallot and spicy chilli oil, this dish is great as a comforting dinner or savoury breakfast.

Pearled spelt is another great British alternative to rice. Like barley it’s a low-input crop that requires relatively little water and fertility, and avoids the methane emissions associated with rice production.

Spelt has been grown for at least 7,000 years, originating from the natural crossing of an early domesticated wheat like emmer and wild goat grass. In Greek myth it’s one of the grains identified as a gift from the goddess Demeter. Spelt was a key part of diets and farming systems across Europe and Asia right up until the late Middle Ages, when it was largely replaced by more modern wheat varieties. But spelt has been making a comeback in recent years thanks to its suitability for low-input farming systems.

Pearled spelt is part of our Holland and Barrett range of pulses and grains, grown in diverse arable rotations by British farmers. Pop into your local store to pick up a pack.

Spelt has a higher protein content than white rice too, which is perfect if you're having this for breakfast on a busy day.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Congee

150g Pearled Spelt
800ml Water
1 small Carrot, chopped into chunks
2 Spring Onion Tops
4 Button or Chestnut Mushrooms, stalks separated and with a shallow cross cut into the cap.
1 thumb Ginger – sliced in half – reserve the other half for the dressing
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Salt

Pickled Apple

1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and ½ cm diced
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Salt

Braised Shallots

3 small Shallots – skins removed and halved, keeping the layers intact
½ tbsp White/Brown Miso or Fava Bean Umami Paste
150ml Veg Stock
1 tsp Rapeseed Oil

Dressing

3 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
1 Red Chilli, thinly sliced
1 Garlic Clove, thinly sliced
½ thumb Ginger, thinly sliced into batons
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
½ tsp Rice Vinegar
½ tsp Maple Syrup or Apple Syrup
maple syrup Sesame Seeds

Method

Place the pearled spelt into a high-powered blender and pulse until you have cracked open most of the grains and they are covered by a good amount of powder.
Transfer the spelt into a saucepan and toast it on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the water and salt to the pan, followed by the rest of the congee ingredients, and bring it to the boil. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes until the spelt is cooked all the way through. Check halfway through cooking to give the congee a gentle scrape just in case there is any sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, add all the ingredients for the pickled apple into a bowl, stir everything together then leave to one side.
To prepare the shallots, heat 1 tsp of oil in a small frying pan on a medium high heat and add the shallots cut side down leaving them to get a deep golden brown. Mix the stock and miso together, once the shallots have picked up a good amount of colour add the liquid to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, place a lid on top and leave to simmer for 20 minutes until nice and soft.
Meanwhile, add the first four ingredients for the dressing into a small saucepan and begin to gently heat until the garlic, ginger and chilli have become crisp (roughly 5-10 minutes). Remove the crispy aromatics from the oil and place to one side for later. Then mix the remaining dressing ingredients into the oil to finish.
After 35-40 minutes the spelt should be nice and soft, but still retaining some bite. Take the vegetables/aromatics out of the congee (as these were just to enhance the flavour of the cooking liquid) and stir for 5 minutes until the spelt has softened further - you may want to add a little bit more liquid if it needs a little thinning out.
To serve, place the congee in a bowl, top with your braised shallot halves, a spoonful of pickled apple, a few spoonful's of dressing and the crispy aromatics.

Eden Owen-Jones

Author

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