Chicken Congee - Emointhekitchen

History of congee in Chinese Medicine

The first records of Chinese congee come from Ma Wang Dui’s tomb during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). Medical books found in the tomb include congee recipes for snakebites and anal itching. These recipes likely date back to earlier periods. Tang and Song Dynasties saw widespread use of congee by professional physicians. Congees likely have a longer unrecorded history. Confucian scholar-doctors began writing about congee during the Tang and Song Dynasties. Sun Si-Miao included congee recipes in his Qian Jin during the Tang Dynasty. Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang compiled 129 medicinal gruel recipes in 992 AD. Many recipes are still in use today. Li Shi-Zhen provided 62 medicinal gruel recipes in his Bencao Gangmu during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The Qing Dynasty saw an increase in doctors and scholars studying medicinal gruels.

In winter, hurry up and have this congee, it can nourish the stomach and spleen!

I have the flu. Without you being able to taste it. But now that I can taste it again, I appreciate every bite of food and savour its flavours.

The congee was my favourite food during this cold because it is easy to digest and provides nutrition. Now that my appetite is returning, I am excited to have a bowl of congee and enjoy the flavours and spices.

I am grateful for the health benefits that congee offers. Porridge has a long history of health benefits, as documented in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. According to traditional Chinese medicine, it can help prevent colds and strengthen the body. This is exactly what I needed during my illness. It is also great to know that eating congee can increase the effectiveness of medications and benefit people with weak constitutions, such as elderly patients.

Overall, I am grateful for the medicinal properties of congee and am excited to taste it again.

You will need:

3 back chicken quarters
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1/2 sushi rice (or glutinous rice)
1 onion
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cans of chicken broth
6–8 cups of water
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tablespoons ginger powder
cilantro
2 tsp cumin seeds
salt
pepper

Procedure:

Start by cooking the chicken quarters in a pot with water. Add the onion, coriander powder, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, garlic, and ginger powder in the same pot. Stir everything together and let it simmer. Next, pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a gentle boil season it with salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 more hours. Until they are tender and the meat falls off the bone then, after it is cooked, remove the chicken from the broth shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set it aside.

Then add the rice. Reduce the heat to low, stirring the rice occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If the congee is too thick, stir in more water (or broth). Continue until the rice practically falls apart and tender (about 1 hour). Return the chopped meat to the pot.

Let the congee simmer longer to allow all the ingredients to marry perfectly. Before serving, garnish the congee with fresh cilantro. This chicken congee recipe is delicious but also a great way to warm up on a cold day or when you’re under the weather. The combination of tender chicken, aromatic spices, and hearty rice will satisfy you. Enjoy.

Rice – Property – Sweet, neutral; lung and spleen meridians entered.
Actions – Tonify qi and strengthen the spleen, relieve restlessness, arrest diarrhea.
Indications – Poor appetite, qi deficiency in spleen and stomach, fatigue, diarrhea, restlessness with thirst.

Congee – Health, Comfort & Simplicity can be found here