Method

For the congee:

Start with rice and water in a pan, plus the salt, and bring to a boil.

Stabilise it at a gentle simmer, then leave it for 1 and a half hours.

We want the rice to get to the point where it is really soft and starting to break down.

Provided you get the temperature right, you can pretty much leave it alone.

There’s only one thing you need to keep an eye on – the water level.

You need to keep an eye on the water level – if it gets too low, the rice will start sticking to the bottom of the pan, so make sure you add a little water to keep the rice from drying out.

For the topping:

Preheat the oil in a pan and add the bacon, garlic and mushrooms

Fry for 10 minutes or until cooked and golden

Add the chilli flakes for 30 seconds

Pour the Congee into a couple of bowls and add the topping, then serve!