Explore and learn about popular Asian foods for breakfast! 

Children who eat breakfast perform better at school. Despite busy schedules, some families choose  breakfast as their meal of choice to talk and connect with each other. Beyond the many benefits on the health and nutrition aspects of having breakfast, I will focus here on building a healthy meal with popular Chinese breakfast foods. Let’s look at the basic components of a healthy breakfast first.  

What is a Balanced Breakfast? 

A balanced breakfast should include carbohydrate, protein, fibre, and a small amount of good fats.  Carbohydrates provide energy that our bodies need to start the day. Protein, fibre and fats provide the satiety needed for the human body and provide longer lasting energy throughout the day.  

As outlined in our blog post, there are three main categories in a well-balanced meal.  Choose foods from each of the following categories: 

1. Grain/Starch: rice, glutinous rice, mixed grains, millets, rice porridge/congee, wonton or dumplings, whole wheat noodles/bread, steamed buns, pancakes.
2. Fruit or vegetables: cooked or raw vegetables, fresh/canned/frozen vegetables, fresh or frozen fruits.
3. Protein: meat (beef, pork, or lamb), fish, seafood, tofu, nuts and seeds, soybeans.

With these categories in mind listed above, how do we power up the following five popular Chinese breakfasts? 

 Rice, egg, or wheat noodles 

A bowl of steaming hot rice vermicelli or wheat noodles is a great way to start the day.  The higher-fibre choices are brown rice vermicelli or whole wheat noodles. Instead of having just plain noodles, you can add a fried or boiled egg, thin slices of meat, tofu, seafood, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and leafy green vegetables.  

Rice porridge or congee 

Plain rice porridge or congee which is white rice cooked in plenty of water for a long period of time is also a commonly eaten Chinese breakfast.  Often, it’s paired with a plate of fried noodles or deep-fried dough sticks. As they are primarily carbohydrates, a simple way to add more protein is by adding some toppings such as meat, fermented tofu, eggs, meat, bean curds, or beans. You can also enjoy congee with a glass of soymilk and side vegetables. 

Directions:

1. Presoak the dried shiitake mushrooms in one cup of water until they are rehydrated (approx. 30 mins)
2. Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid that was used to rehydrate them.
3. Thin slice the fish fillet at an angle with a very sharp knife to about 1/4-inch thickness pieces. Marinate with salt, pepper, and ginger for 10 mins.
4. In a large pot, bring to a boil the chicken or vegetable stock with the reserved
   mushroom liquid
5. Once at a boil, add brown rice and pinch of salt and reduce the heat to
   simmer
6. Place a lid on the simmering rice and allow them to cook for approx. 45 mins.
7. Add the sliced fishinto the pot and boil for another 5-10mins. Season with salt and garnish with spring onion
8. While the congee is cooking, thin slice the shiitakes mushrooms. Sauté them in vegetable oil until they are slightly caramelized and soft, then add the sweet soy sauce and Chinese preserved mustard greens.
9. Serve fish congee in bowls with the shiitake mushrooms and Chinese preserved mustard greens. 

Nutrients per meal serving

Analysis made using chicken broth.

243.3 Calories 
28 g Carbohydrate 
14.6 g Protein 
1.5 g Fiber

With a tiny bit of meal planning, it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of time and effort to prepare breakfast with these popular Chinese foods. When you start the day healthy, it sets you up to continue on the healthy path for the rest of the day.  Remember health is wealth, and if you choose healthy foods, your body will thank you for it. Which Chinese breakfast would you try next? Comment below!