Chinese Congee saved me

I’m not certain, but I may have had the stomach flu… I had an awful rumbling stomach and nausea causing me to lose my appetite for about 8 days. On day 5, I asked my acupuncturist what I could do and she suggested Chinese Congee to eliminate any toxins in my system.

What in the world is Congee? It is a broth or porridge made with rice and lots of water and cooked until the rice grain bursts open. There are many variations of congee (I found a lot of them being savory and with meat). But my gal gave me a simple vegan recipe that I only adjusted a tad.

1 cup white rice
5 cups water
10 dates (I used Medjool because they grow here and are easy to access) pitted and diced
1 teaspoon of dried ginger root or 1” fresh ginger diced

 Toss all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn to a simmer for 45-60 minutes. Add water as needed and be careful not to burn. Stir occasionally.

It took about a day for my stomach to start feeling normal. However, I was able to eat the Congee immediately without an angry response from my stomach. The Congee smelled delicious and tasted good enough to eat as every meal for 3 days.  I didn’t get sick of it and now I actually crave it. This recipe will certainly be kept for any future stomach ailments.