Congee
What does an acupuncturist love more than a scarf in cold weather? That’s an inside acupuncture joke by the way, and one I will circle back to.
It’s CONGEE. (Said, “kan-g”)
What on earth is congee? It’s a rice based dish, like a porridge, that is a very classic Chinese dish. Congee is diverse, simple and a classic staple in asian cuisine.
There are several reasons why acupuncturists are obsessed with it.
We love its simplistic base that we can customize per patient’s condition. What better than to have a base meal that we can easily swap ingredients to fit the exact needs of a patient. It is the perfect foundation for us to build our dietary changes from.
Its nutritional composition is simple but brilliant. Congee is traditionally made from three ingredients: rice, broth, and spices. It is the perfect combination of simple carbohydrates from the rice (easy to digest and direct energy), protein and fat from the broth (stabilize our blood sugar and support hormone production), and the spices to address whatever specific needs a person has, and to give it that yummy taste. You have the option to adjust ingredients to fit a breakfast congee or regular for lunch or dinner.
So easy to make. How easy? Can you place three things in the crockpot and turn the knob? Then you can make congee. The recipe is just below with some delicious additions.
CONGEE
1 cup of brown/basmati rice
4 cups of liquid (organic/homemade broth)
-If making a breakfast congee use water instead of broth-
Method:
Place all ingredients in a crockpot.
Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours.
Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Variations
Add veggies such as onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, garlic, ginger and/or mushrooms before cooking or mix in frozen organic corn and spinach after cooking.
Add raw sausage, chicken, or other meat before cooking and break up or shred then mix before serving.
Garnish with green onions
Can also make sweet with apples, pears, and cinnamon, cook with water instead of broth.
This works well as a breakfast option.