Fish Head Congee with Dried Scallop (Yu Yun Zhou)

Why people make this congee

There is an old Cantonese saying: “Bighead carp — eat the head; grass carp — eat the tail.” The head of the bighead carp (da yu) has long been valued in traditional food therapy for its ability to warm the stomach, ease dizziness, and nourish what practitioners call “brain marrow.” It is especially recommended for students, office workers, and anyone who pushes their mind hard day after day — the kind of fatigue that leaves you foggy, forgetful, and a little off-balance. Paired with umami-rich dried scallop shreds and ginger to lift the flavor and aid digestion, this congee is deeply satisfying and genuinely restorative.