But if you own an Instant Pot, I highly recommend you use it.
![conji rice porridge conji rice porridge](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sr4KUCdBTQ0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Traditionally, all the whole grains, nuts, and beans require pre-soaking, and are then cooked on the stovetop. Optional – 2 tablespoons dried fruits 1/4 up to 1/3 cup of Chinese jujubes, yams, Longan, and chestnuts.Mix with other type of grains you prefer, until it fills 3/4 of a cup. 3/4 cup of mixed grains: always use glutinous rice and / or forbidden rice as the main ingredients.As long as you get the majority of it right, the congee will come out well. You can use more or fewer ingredients and change them up. The congee is usually made with grains, nuts, dried fruits, and TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). Other ingredients can be added as well, such as dried Longan, lotus seeds, Chinese dates, raisins, goji berries, and yams. Some nuts to use include peanuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, and chestnuts. This grain gets meaty and crunchy once cooked. I highly recommend adding barley to the blend. The other common grains are brown rice, barley, and corn. The forbidden rice also adds a beautiful purple color to the dish. These grains are starchier than regular rice and that gives the congee a smooth and gooey texture. The main ingredient should be glutinous rice and / or forbidden rice. I also wanted to share the formula so you can blend your own congee. That’s why I decided to develop a flexible recipe that contains more common ingredients without affecting the taste. Some of the ingredients are so special that I couldn’t find very fresh ones, even at an Asian market. Living in the US, the biggest challenge to cooking eight treasure congee is finding all the ingredients. But I usually added a small spoonful of sugar to make it taste even better. She served it unsweetened as a side for our dinners, along with stir fried green vegetables and braised meat. My mom also cooked the congee a lot at home, using common ingredients and often fewer than eight of them. It tasted so delicious even when cold, that I considered it a treat. I would bring it to picnics and drink it on long train rides. However, eight treasure congee is so popular in northern China, where I grew up, that we enjoy it much more often than once a year.īack in the 90s, when most packaged foods hadn’t been imported to China, one of my favorite snacks / light meals was canned eight treasure congee.
![conji rice porridge conji rice porridge](http://www.cookatease.com/uploads/PuzhungalArisiUppuKanjiSavoryRicePorridg_112C3/Puzhungal_Arisi_Kanji_Savory_Rice_Porridge_1.jpg)
After all, it is meant to be a festival dish that is served on special occasions. Traditionally, the congee contains a lot of special ingredients such as dried longan, dried lotus seeds, goji berries, and pine nuts.
![conji rice porridge conji rice porridge](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cd/29/49/cd29498554b3011a1036a2e09042e738.jpg)
In some parts of China, people use ingredients like preserved pork sausage and mushrooms to make the congee savory. The congee can be served plain, but it tastes best sweetened. The formula varies depending on each family’s tradition and on available ingredients, but it usually contains glutinous rice and forbidden rice as the main ingredients, along with beans, mixed nuts, and dried fruits. When I read about it, I considered myself very lucky that I could cook this dish and serve it for a weekend dinner.Īs you can guess from its name, eight treasure congee contains eight ingredients. According to Wikipedia, Laba congee dates back to the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) when the congee was used to worship god instead of for consumption by people. The Laba festival happens on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month and is held to celebrate the enlightenment of the Buddha. It is a perfect side for a weekday dinner or can be served sweet as a dessert, guilt free.Įight treasure congee (八宝粥), also called Laba congee (腊八粥), is a traditional Chinese dish that is served on the Laba Festival (腊八节). Traditionally served during a Chinese festival, it’s nutritious, comforting, and easy to make.
![conji rice porridge conji rice porridge](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/13/65/4c/13654c9e705f6d6ebbea4e27f10fa278.png)
Eight treasure congee is made with whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits.