Growing up throughout middle and high school, I frequently experienced extreme digestive upset.
From navigating nausea, chronic constipation, and having a ready supply of Tums to address the daily upset stomach - my digestive system was inflamed and not functioning optimally.
What else could I do?
A fast paced life brings along with it ready access to convenient - and often times nutrient deficient - fast food. After eating a fish fillet sandwich with fries and a sweet tea, while my stomach was full my body still craved the missing nutrients. This craving was communicated via the well known sensation of hunger. At the time, I mistook those signals of hunger to eat more of the trash that I was already consuming vs nourishing my temple with nutrient dense foods.
Now that I have matured in my understanding of how to nourish myself more intentionally, I choose to eat easily digestible foods that are full of the vital nutrients needed to sustain my body's wellness. One of those foods is congee.
According to the South China Morning Post "There are as many names for congee as there are versions of it. A sampling from around the region includes muay (Hokkien, Teochew); chok or khao tom (Thai); cháo (Vietnamese); hsan pyok (Burmese); bâbâr (Khmer); bubur (Malay, Indonesian); lúgaw (Tagalog); okayu (Japanese). Congee as a dish is documented in ancient East and South Asian texts, particularly associated with ritual fasting. The earliest reference can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty (circa 1000BC)."
In addition to the historical prevalence and significance of this simple dish, congee is also used within the realm of Traditional Chinese Medicine as a dietary prescription to strengthen the Spleen Qi - the energy or metabolic force used to process and break down food within the body.
According to Five Flavors Herbs "Tasty and easy to digest, congee can be part of a regular meal or as a delivery system for beneficial herbs. I often recommend congee for individuals who are struggling with digestive complaints such as low appetite, poor digestion, or chronic nausea. Herbal congee is also an excellent way to stay nourished during and after acute illness."
Creating a pot of rice porridge is a simple process. Below is my favorite recipe for a nice, nourishing, and replenishing bowl of congee.
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Brandy's Congee Recipe
1 cup of Washed Jasmine Rice
8 cups of Water
1 cube of Maggi's Vegetable Flavor Bullion Cube
2 tablespoons (tbsp) of Butter
1 tablespoon (tbsp) of Sliced Chives
Directions: Place 8 cups of water in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, cut the temperature down to a simmer and incorporate the 1 cup of washed jasmine rice. Next, place the lid over the rice - slightly ajar - and set a timer for 25 minutes. After the time has elapsed, turn off the stove and whisk the congee for 3 minutes - until you see the rice grain breaking down and the texture thickening. Lastly, serve each bowl of congee with 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of chives. Enjoy!
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For an additional resource, please visit Unfamiliar China to explore their meat and vegetarian medicinal congee recipes.
That's all for now! Until next time, continue your diligent process of healing from the inside out.
Key Words: Congee, Rice Porridge, Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, Digestive Health, Gut Health, Holistic Health, Wellness, and Healing
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