Are you familiar with the delicious magic that is congee? It's a rice-based porridge commonly eaten in China for breakfast. The Chinese character is 粥, which is pronounced "zhou" in Mandarin and "jook" in Cantonese.
Starting the day with a steaming bowl congee is great for supporting the digestive system. From a Chinese medicine perspective, your Stomach and Spleen are at their energetic peak between 7-11 am. These are the organs that we believe are responsible for taking in the food you eat, and transforming it into the energy that powers every aspect of your being, also known as qi! In order support healthy digestion and energy production, we need to stoke the digestive fire through easy-to-digest, nourishing food first thing in the morning.
Digestion is the key to everything in Chinese medicine. Symptoms like bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea, heartburn, irregular appetite, nausea, vomiting, and some types of abdominal pain can be explained by poor digestive function. Additionally, from a Chinese medicine perspective, weak digestion is linked to other symptoms like frequent colds and flus, allergies, fatigue, brain fog, mood irregularity, phlegm and mucus, body aches, breathing issues, irregular menstrual cycles, swelling and edema, skin problems, and more. By strengthening your digestion, Chinese medicine wisdom says you can support literally every aspect of your health and wellbeing.
Food is the most important medicine we have. Congee is warm, wet, and easy to digest, making it a perfect healing food. And since the rice is cooked in a large amount of water, it's also a sneaky way to rehydrate! We often suggest it to people who have weak or irregular digestion, poor appetite, struggle with dehydration, or are healing from acute or chronic illness. Eating congee can also help you "reset" after eating a few too many indulgent, heavy, or rich meals. And generally, we can think of congee as a protective, preventative food that builds health and supports wellbeing.
Congee can be made with a range of consistences from thick to thin. It’s best to use medium to long grain white rice, as short grain rice is too sticky and makes goopy porridge! Congee can be eaten plain, but more often includes a variety of savory add-ins. You can jazz it up in endless ways! Add things like ginger, mushrooms, animal proteins, or medicinal herbs in the cooking process, or garnish the cooked congee with a variety of tasty ingredients. The more stuff you add, the thinner you want your congee. If you’re working with an acupuncturist, talk to them about the types of add-ins that are most appropriate for your constitution and diagnosis!
Some of our favorite add-ins for serving include:
sliced fresh ginger
green onion
kimchi, sauerkraut, or pickled vegetables
cooked mushrooms
vegetables like cooked onion or squash, julienned radish or carrot, cooked corn, or sautéed bean sprouts
seaweed
poached, soft boiled, or fried egg
peanuts, sesame seeds, or other roasted nuts or seeds
Japanese furikake or Korean rice sprinkles
animal proteins like chicken, pork, ham, scallop, shrimp, or sausage
soy sauce, tamari, or soy-free options like coconut aminos
toasted sesame oil
miso paste
fresh herbs, like cilantro or parsley
The options are endless! While congee is the perfect breakfast food, it also makes a delicious meal anytime of day.
In service of sharing our love of congee with you, here are two recipes, the first using an Instant Pot, and the second made on the stove top. Enjoy!
Amy's Instant Pot (Chicken) Congee Recipe
Want the health and taste benefits of congee, but don't have the time to let a pot simmer alway all day? Bring in the mighty Instant Pot and this recipe from Amy for a quick and easy option. An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker. You could absolutely adjust this recipe for a stovetop pressure cooker or even electric slow cooker instead. As someone with a history of severe digestive disease, congee is Amy’s go-to morning meal to fortify her Spleen qi (digestive function in Chinese medicine). She makes a batch on Sunday evenings and then portions out her weekday breakfasts into mason jars. Here's the quick and simple recipe she always uses!
makes approximately 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white rice (jasmine or other long grain)
4 cups water, or chicken or veggie stock (use homemade bone broth extra flavor and healing gelatin)
1/2 tsp salt
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
OPTIONAL: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
OPTIONAL: 1-2 tablespoons olive, coconut, or grapeseed oil
Instructions:
Add all the ingredients into the Instant Pot.
Close lid and set to SEALING.
Press "Porridge" (if including chicken, increase time to 30 min).
After cooking is complete, let sit for 10 minutes and then quick release.
Shred chicken and stir to combine, remove ginger before serving.
Garnish with tamari, sesame oil, scallions, freshly sliced ginger, a soft boiled egg, or any other add-ins you like, and enjoy!!
No Instant Pot? No problem. Here’s a more traditional method of making congee on the stovetop!
Stovetop Congee Recipe
Recipe adapted from ”Congee and the Importance of Wet, Cooked Breakfasts” by Andrew Sterman
makes approximately 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice (jasmine or other long grain)
8-10 cups of water, or chicken or veggie stock (use homemade bone broth extra flavor and healing gelatin)
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons olive, grapeseed, or coconut oil
Instructions:
Boil 8-12 cups water in a separate pot.
Put 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice in large, empty pot with salt. Add oil and gently sauté the grains over low heat.
Add just enough boiling water to float the grains, around 1 cup. Stir constantly as the grains absorb the water. When almost absorbed, add more boiling water, and keep stirring. After 3 or 4 more additions of water and constant stirring (about 10-15 minutes), the grains will have released starch into the water.
Then add a lot more water, reduce flame, and bring to a light simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Continue to add more hot water as needed to get the special congee consistency: milky water between discernible, very soft grains of rice.
When done, it’s time to serve!
Feel a cold coming on? Make congee!
If you’re at the start of a cold, garnish your congee with fresh thinly sliced ginger, fresh sliced green onion, a splash of tamari, soy sauce, or soy-free coconut aminos, and toasted sesame oil. This is energetically very similar to a classic herbal formula called Cong Chi Tang, used to treat early cold symptoms like chills, body aches, headaches, and fatigue! Make a batch to eat through the day, spending plenty of time resting under warm blankets and drinking warm tea.
Sources:
Erlewein R. Congee-Longevity Food for Life. The Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2010;(92):31.
Sterman A. Congee and the Importance of Wet, Cooked Breakfasts. Herbal Medicine Press, 2015. https://www.gfcherbs.com/Images/Congee%20and%20the%20Importance%20of%20Wet,%20Cooked%20Breakfasts.pdf.
*The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
