Homemade congee

Author: Zi Yi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Medicinal Congee
As early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, our ancestors used congee to prevent and treat illnesses. Congee, commonly known as rice porridge, is a beloved daily dish among the Chinese people. With its delicious taste and simple preparation, it is both nutritious and easy to digest. Since ancient times, from high-ranking officials and scholars to common laborers and villagers in the mountains and wilderness, everyone enjoys eating congee. When people's favorite congee dishes are cooked together with appropriate Chinese herbal medicines, it is called medicinal congee.
The medicinal congee therapy is a dietary approach that combines medicinal treatment with food therapy to prevent and treat diseases. It is an integration of drug therapy and food therapy. By consuming medicinal congee, one can enjoy the pleasure of eating congee while also reaping the benefits of the medicine. The two work synergistically, yielding excellent results.
The key ingredients of medicinal congee are glutinous rice and ordinary rice, both of which are known for their ability to tonify the spleen, invigorate the stomach, and nourish the body—thereby cultivating the "post-natal" essence. This not only helps expel pathogenic factors but also corrects any potential side effects of the medicine while protecting the stomach qi, achieving a balance between treating diseases and promoting health. As a result, the practice of medicinal congee therapy has thrived for over two thousand years and continues to grow.
With the improvement of living standards, the health awareness of the Chinese people has become increasingly strong. To meet the urgent needs of a broad readership, we have compiled the book Home-Cooked Medicinal Congee, making it convenient for people to care for their health according to their specific circumstances, prevent and treat illnesses, and share the joy of life.