Chestnut and Red Date Congee

Why people make this congee

Now and then Nourilo passes a street vendor sugar-roasting chestnuts — glossy nuts tumbling in a huge wok, the air thick with their sweet aroma, mouth-watering. Chestnuts suit women in early pregnancy well: they’re rich in folate, which supports the developing baby’s nervous system, and their vitamins, minerals and carotene are traditionally associated with helping guard against miscarriage, premature birth and stretch marks. In early pregnancy it’s lovely to simmer chestnut and red date into a congee — it supports the spleen and stomach, the kidneys and lower back, and bone health.