Slow Cooker Vegan Congee

Sick of sweet oatmeal, pastries or smoothies for dessert? Congee is a comforting savory porridge often eaten for breakfast in China and many other parts of Asia. You can add the ingredients to your slow cooker before you head to bed, and wake up to a warm bowl of rice porridge, waiting for delicious toppings.

Ingredients

Congee:
1 1/2 cups white rice (short or long grain)
3 quarts vegetable broth
2 in. ginger, sliced
3 green onion stems, cut in half
Vegetables:
1 tsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 in. ginger, minced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Chinese broccoli (or broccolini, broccoli raab, or regular broccoli), thinly sliced
2 cups mustard greens (or other leafy green)
Salt or Tamari (to taste)
Garnish:
Peanuts , chopped
Fresh fried shallots
Thinly sliced green onions
Toasted sesame seeds
Diced tofu cubes
Kimchi , to taste
Chili paste, to taste
White pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a slow cooker, cook rice with vegetable broth, ginger and green onion on high for 4 hours covered (or on low for 8 hours). Stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if needed. The finished product should be thick but soupy. Remove ginger and scallions, discard.
In a large pan, heat oil. Sauté ginger and garlic for a few minutes or until fragrant. Add in shiitake mushrooms and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add in broccoli and cook until broccoli is tender about 5 to 10 minutes depending on size of broccoli. Add in greens and cook until wilted. Season with salt or tamari.
Pour congee into a large serving bowl and top with vegetables.
Serve hot with white pepper and any additional garnishes.