Chinese Rice Porridge: Authentic, Delicious and Satisfying!

Suitable for all VitaClay models. Stock pot models will require 8:1 water:rice ratio for each hour of cooking time. Ensure water does not evaporate too much when cooking in Stock Pot for more than 1 hour. 

In China congee (or jook) is the standard morning meal. Rice porridge is a long-simmered soup or porridge that has strengthening properties.

According to Chinese medicine, simmering this soup for three hours balances the yin and yang of each ingredient.The Chinese have a long tradition of eating nutritious porridge with a lot of different ingredients added.

The Chinese traditionally drink certain porridge in different seasons, believing them to be healthy and nutritious at various times of the year.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rice (or barley, wild rice or whole oats) 8 cups chicken stock or just water (add more for thinner consistency or longer cooking time)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast, cubed tofu, or shrimp 2 scallions, chopped, for garnish
• Soy sauce to taste
• Black sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to VitaClayTM pot except chicken or tofu, soy sauce and scallions
2. Set on Slow Cooking - Porridge to cook for 2 hours, stirringoccasionally. Add additional stock if necessary.
3. Prior to serving add the chicken and scallions and cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken, shrimp or tofu is warmed through.
4. Season to taste and sprinkle a few black sesame seeds on top of each serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Health Note:

I love black sesame seeds because they cause dramatic presentation but they have some good health benefits as well.

Sesame seeds come from little seed pods of one of the oldest of cultivated plants. Sesame seeds are about 20 percent protein and contain some vitamins A and E and most of the B vitamins except B12 and folic acid. Minerals, however, are very abundant in sesame, as in most seeds. Zinc is high, as are calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Sesame seeds are an excellent source of calcium. Sesame seeds may also have a mild antioxidant effect.

Black sesame seeds are used in China to slow graying hair and premature hair loss.