Pumpkin and Mung Bean Congee

Why people make this congee

Pumpkin comes in many varieties, costs little, and is delicious every which way — stir-fried, stewed, pan-fried, or in soup and congee. Because it is warming by nature, it even suits people with a cooler constitution. In the heat of summer many people reach for mung bean soup to cool down, and Nourilo’s clever twist is to cook mung beans with pumpkin: it still relieves the summer heat, but is not too cooling, which makes it especially friendly for those watching their blood sugar.

Method

1. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut into chunks. Soak and rinse the mung beans.
2. Put everything in a pot with 1.8 L of water and cook until the pumpkin is soft and falling apart and the mung beans have cooked down to a purée. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This congee is fragrant and sweet, suitable for young and old, and taken regularly is traditionally associated with supporting healthy blood sugar, blood lipids and cholesterol. But pumpkin should not be eaten with mutton or shrimp, and those who are spleen-weak with qi stagnation or have damp-heat should not eat it.