Congee is a healing porridge. This soupy rice mixture is used as a traditional breakfast food and remedy. Congees are very easy on the digestive system and offer an accessible source of energy for the body. Congees form the base of a number of therapeutic foods and can be tailored to meet your individual needs.
Benefits of Congee
- Nourishes stomach and spleen meridians. Lets begin by naming a few signs of spleen meridian imbalance such as: bloating, cramping, irregular mensuration, sinus drainage and congestion, water retention, heavy-bodied sensation, frontal headaches, gas, loose stools or irregular bowel movements, brain fog, and easy bruising.
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine, foods that are warm, easily digestible, and moistening help nourish and soothe a weakened or inflamed digestive tract.
- Tonifies Qi and Blood. This translates to increased strength and energy for those with fatigue and weakness.
- Improves bowel regularity.
- Boosts metabolism.
- Helps with anorexia, diarrhea, constipation.
- Ideal for recovery from the stomach flu and food poisoning.
How Jordan Titchener likes to Make Congee:
- If you have an Instant Pot, congee is a breeze. Simply add short grain white rice
and chicken stock, bone broth, coconut milk, or water in a 5/1 liquid to rice ratio. Cook on manual for 15-20 minutes. - On the stovetop or crockpot, use the same liquid to rice ratio and simmer on low until soft and soupy for about 1-2 hours.
Customize it
- Add a protein. Ground turkey, pork, beef, or chicken all make great add-ins.
- Add some veggies. Try cabbage, carrots, green onion, leeks, or mushrooms.
- Add spices. Garlic, ginger, turmeric, cilantro, or black pepper.
- Add a fat. Coconut milk or oil, seeds, or nuts.
- Or for a sweeter version, omit the protein and veggies and add cinnamon, dried fruit, and ginger.
Congee can be adapted to meet many varied medicinal needs. If you would like to know how to enhance your congee for your medicinal needs, book an appointment with Jordan at our Surrey acupuncture clinic.
