CONGEE – COMFORT IN A BOWL
Written by a Chinese Medicine Practitioner
If you have ever seen a Chinese Medicine practitioner, there is a good chance they would have raved about the importance of a warm, nutritious and easy to digest breakfast for overall health and wellbeing. Congee, or rice porridge, ticks all those boxes and many more.
Congee (also known as jook) is a staple in a lot of Asian cultures. Tasty, simple and nutritious, this is a perfect breakfast for to get us through the remaining cold and wintery Macedon Ranges mornings.
The secret of Congee comes from its lengthy cooking process. It is said in China that the longer the congee cooks, the more powerful it becomes. Simmering the rice on a low flame over a long period of time helps to break it down gently, giving less strain to the digestion system while still preserving nutritional value and integrity. It is a great way to support the digestion and is particularly beneficial to those who have been chronically ill, feel depleted or are prone to digestion difficulties. As a result, it is featured heavily in Chinese medicine diet therapy.
It also features as part of medicinal treatment strategies in ancient China as far back as an estimated 220 AD. In the text Shang Hun Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage) written by Zhang Zhong Jing, for some presentations of a common cold instructions are to give that after ingestion of a particular herbal formula, the patient is to follow this up with a simple bowl of thin congee while covering oneself with a blanket to produce a light sweat. This is to aid the body in eliminating the pathogen.
While the basic recipe is quite simple and may appear perhaps a little bland, congee is incredibly versatile. Common savory toppings include spring onion, sliced fresh ginger, soy sauce, coriander, boiled egg, shitake mushrooms, seaweed, shredded cooked chicken, crushed peanuts and sesame oil. For a sweeter start to your day, adding a few Chinese dates, goji berries and a little rock sugar to the cooking process may be more appealing. The possibilities are endless!
Additions to the basic recipe before the cooking process based on constitution can be discussed with your Chinese Medicine practitioner.
Some common additions based on ailments include:
· Aduki Bean- as a diuretic, helpful for oedema and gout
· Carrot- as a digestive aid, to help relieve flatulence
· Ginger- warming to the digestive system, for diarrhea, vomiting and indigestion
· Mung beans- cooling, to reduce fever and heat in the body and relieve thirst
· Sesame seeds- moistening to the intestines.
· Goji Berries- nourish blood and yin, helpful for tired eyes and vision problems
· Chinese herbs- these can also be incorporated, as prescribed or recommended by your practitioner.
Basic Congee Recipe (2-3 serves):
Stovetop Method:
1 cup white rice
8-10 cups vegetable, bone broth or water.
Wash rice well water, drain and place in heavy pot.
Add water/broth and any other pre-cooking additions that you may choose or have recommended to you
Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer partially covered for at least 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
The porridge is ready when it is thick and creamy. Add toppings of choice and enjoy!
Slow cooker method:
1 cup white rice
8 cups vegetable, bone broth or water.
Wash rice well water, drain and place in slow cooker with water/broth and any other pre-cooking additions that you may choose or have had recommended to you.
Put on lid, turn to low and let cook overnight for 8-10 hours and wake to a warm nutritious breakfast. Add toppings of choice and enjoy!
References: Pitchford, Paul, Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books, 2002.
If you would like to book an appointment with a Chinese Medicine Practitioner you can call the clinic on (03) 5429 3610 or book online by clicking the link below.