Congee

In Hong Kong there are two types of liquid food which are considered absolutely vital: Cantonese soup and congee. It is curious to note that however "thick and ingredient-filled" the soup is, it's always drunk and however "thin" the congee is, it's always eaten.

I have congee every morning.

I've had black rice congee thrice in one day!

So courteous conge both did giue and take, With right hands plighted, pledges of good will.

As salutations, reverences, or conges, by which some doe often purchase the honour, (but wrongfully) to be humble, lowly, and courteous[…].

So saying, he bowed with a thousand apish congês, and presented his paper to Peregrine […].

“My daughter Rebecca, so please your Grace,” answered Isaac, with a low congee, nothing embarrassed by the Prince’s salutation, in which, however, there was at least as much mockery as courtesy.

His speech thus spake the Moor, and took his leave, he and his meiny where the bátels lay: formal farewells to chief and crews he gave, exchanging congees with due courtesy.

In a past life in Fuzhou, it represented some reality other than the one of daily congee and pickled turnips, cabbage and boiled rip soup.