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Instant Pot (pressure cooker) Vietnamese fish congee
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5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Fish Congee

Vietnamese fish congee (rice porridge) is so flavorful and comforting. Making it in a pressure cooker is super easy and cuts down cooking time significantly. A steamy and delicious bowl of fish congee will be ready in just 30 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizers and Side dishes, Breakfast, Main Dish
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: fish congee, fish rice porridge
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 268kcal
Author: Sophie

Ingredients

For the fish congee

  • 3/4 cup rice (see recipe notes for more details)
  • 2 tablespoons split mung bean (optional)
  • 1 - 1.5 lb fish bones (see Recipe Notes below for instructions for using fish steaks instead)
  • a thumb-sized piece of ginger
  • 1 large shallot
  • 6 cups water (boiling water for faster cooking)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (plus more to taste)
  • 1 lb fish fillet (grouper works best)

Suggestions for toppings and herbs

  • fried shallot
  • Chinese crullers
  • scallion, thinly sliced
  • cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Vietnamese perilla, thinly sliced
  • black pepper

Instructions

  • Wash rice and mung bean (if using) and drain, add to the pressure cooker.
  • Scrub fish bones with salt and rinse under cold water. Add to the pressure cooker.
  • Peel and slice ginger into thin slices. Peel and cut shallot in half. Place in the pressure cooker. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt to the pressure cooker too. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes (you can also select Porridge mode if using Instant Pot).
  • While the congee is cooked in the pressure cooker, slice fish fillet on the diagonal into 1/2 in thick pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, set aside.
  • Once the pressure cooking is over and the pressure has been naturally released, remove and discard the fish bones. If using an Instant Pot, switch to Sauté mode, add fish fillet slices. Cook for a couple minutes or until fish is fully cooked. 
  • Check consistency, if it's too thick, add some more water. If it's too thin, simmer a little more. Add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and adjust seasoning to your liking. 
  • Transfer congee to serving bowl and add toppings and herbs of your choice.

Notes

If you cannot buy fish scraps, you can use 1.5 - 2 lbs of fish steaks instead of using a combination of fish scraps and fish fillet. Grouper fish steaks work best.
  • If using fresh fish steaks, cook with high pressure for 10 minutes and let pressure release naturally all the way or for at least 10-15 minutes and then release slowly.
  • If using frozen fish steaks, cook with high pressure for 12 minutes. Also let pressure release naturally.
After that, remove the fish bones, break the fish into smaller chunks. Season the congee to your liking, ladle into serving bowls and enjoy.
It's best to use short grain white rice such as Japanese rice for a creamy and silky texture. Or you can use a combination of jasmine rice and sticky rice.
Besides grouper, you can use other firm and meaty white fish such as halibut and barramundi.
Fried shallot, Chinese crullers and Vietnamese perilla can be bought at Asian grocery stores.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1016mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg