Congee, have you ever tried it? i was introduced to it when i was pregnant with my second and honestly cannot believe i didnt try it sooner. They say in TCM traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda that its a nourishing and healing meal for postpartum recovery.
There are many benefits with having congee they include
its filled with protein and collagen which are imperative to tissue repair.
The slow and long cooking proess of the rice makes it easier to digest.
Ginger helps to reduce inflammation and support your immune system which is something you will need support with from pregnancy and birth. Be gentle on yourself though as healing takes time.
It is an excellent way to keey hydrated.
Congee is seen as a cleansing mean aiding in detoxifying the body and clearing impurities.
Whilst it has many benefits for postpartm mothers, this nourishing wholefood dish can also be a gentle and easy digestable meal for those with weak digestion or during recovery from illness.
The best part is that it practically cooks for itself! And what more could you ask for especially in those early stages of motherhood. I am two years postpartum and i still love nourishing my temple with this dish and now for my little family too. My four year old commented on this dish saying " mum, this is incredible, i love it and i cant wait for you to make this again" oh, its such a good feeling and a blessing knowing you get to nourish your family with real food but also when they share their love for it too.. its all so worth it.
I usually add my chicken from the stock i make to put ontop of the congee, but this time around i just added thigh pieces into the congee whilst it cooked and turned out amazing. I have also added in some toppings that might not suite a postpartum mother (chilli oil) feel free to use what you choose for your body and baby.
Here is my take on this wholesome dish
Ingredients
Serves 4-5
1 cup
9 cups of stock OR half filtered water, half stock
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic
300g cooked chicken from stock OR diced thigh to add into your congee
1 tbsp ghee or sesame oil
2-3 shiitake mushrooms
celtic salt
Toppings once cooked
Freshly chopped coriander and parsley for exrta benefits
2 spring onion sliced
1 tbsp chilli oil
1 tbsp fermented garlic
Cooking instructions
Soak and rinse your rice.
Heat large pot on the stove and add your oil of choice.
Then add your ginger and allow to soften 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Add your stock, chicken and rice and bring to a simmer. Place lid on and allow to cook for 1-3 hours on medium - low heat. (i remove my chicken thigh after 1 hour, set aside to cool then shred)
Keep an eye on the liquid as it can evaporate too much, so adding more water or stock might be required.
Once congee is done serve it with your cooked chicken, herbs, mushrooms, spices and oils.
NOTE:
This dish can be made plant based
And you can opt out of cooking your ginger off in oil and just bring stock to boil and add it all in together to simmer with rice etc.
I hope you feel nourished as much as we did having this meal.
Share your feedback if you do give this a try -
Marisa
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