Congee & Porridge
Dried Vegetable (Cai Gan), Scallop and Pork Bone Congee
traditionally used to clear lung and stomach heat and ease dry cough and internal heat in autumn
In short: Dried Vegetable (Cai Gan), Scallop and Pork Bone Congee is a congee & porridge that traditionally used to clear lung and stomach heat and ease dry cough and internal heat in autumn. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, digestive wellness, cooling & summer heat. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: pork bones, ginger, white rice.
Why people make this congee
The period after the Start of Autumn (around early August) in the Chinese calendar is a time when the air gradually loses its summer humidity but daytime temperatures remain very high — a combination that easily creates internal dryness and heat. The Cantonese tradition of making “golden and silver vegetables” soup (jin yin cai tang, using both fresh and dried vegetables) addresses exactly this seasonal challenge. This version makes a full congee with pork bones for richness and sun-dried mustard greens and scallop for depth of flavour. In traditional food therapy, this combination is associated with clearing heat from the lungs and stomach, soothing dry cough with little or no phlegm, and easing the full, uncomfortable feelings that internal heat can bring. It is one of the most comforting and naturally delicious congees in the Cantonese repertoire.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Ginger
Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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