Glutinous Rice and Wheat Porridge

Why people make this porridge

When someone in the house goes down with gastroenteritis — the constant runs to the bathroom, the nausea, the total loss of appetite — heavy foods are the last thing they need. This plain, warming porridge is exactly what Cantonese food therapy prescribes: something light enough for a churned-up stomach to handle, and gentle enough to coax back a little appetite. The combination of glutinous rice and whole wheat is associated in traditional practice with warming and steadying the digestive system, relieving the kind of urgent loose stools where food passes through barely digested, and easing the accompanying fatigue and thirst.

Method

1. Rinse both grains and soak in cold water for 30 minutes (optional, but shortens cooking time).
2. Place both grains in a pot and add enough water to make a loose, thin congee-style porridge.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grains are fully soft and the porridge is smooth.
4. Stir in brown sugar and allow it to dissolve before serving.
5. Serve in small bowls throughout the day rather than in one large portion — small, frequent servings are easier on a sensitive stomach.

Nourilo’s Tips

This porridge naturally warms the spleen and stomach and is a good option for the type of diarrhoea linked to cold or deficiency — where the digestive system simply cannot process food properly. People with a chronically cold or weak spleen-stomach constitution can eat this regularly as a mild tonic porridge, not just when unwell. If the illness also causes excessive sweating and weakness, add 6 red dates and a small piece of liquorice root (gan cao, about 3 g) to the pot for extra support.