Laba Eight-Treasure Congee

Why people make this congee

Every winter on Laba Day — the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month — families across China simmer a big pot of this multi-ingredient porridge. The idea is beautifully simple: combine whatever warming grains, hearty beans, and nourishing nuts you have on hand, slow-cook them until the whole pot becomes a fragrant, thick, comforting porridge, and share it with the people you love. It is the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out on the coldest days of the year. Traditional food therapy considers this combination to be supportive of the spleen and stomach, and gentle enough for the whole family.

Method

1. The evening before, rinse the beans (kidney beans, adzuki beans, mung beans) and soak them overnight in cold water. They are much harder than the grains and need a head start. Drain and discard the soaking water before cooking.
2. Rinse all remaining grains and nuts. If using dried lotus seeds, soak them for 30 minutes as well.
3. Place all ingredients — drained beans, grains, nuts, longan, lily bulb, red dates, and raisins — into a large pot. Add water in a ratio of approximately 3 parts water to 1 part combined ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the grains are completely soft and the congee is thick and fragrant. A rice cooker with a porridge setting makes this very easy — no watching required.
5. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired; a small piece of rock sugar can be added near the end.
6. Serve warm. If the congee thickens too much on standing, stir in a little hot water.

Nourilo’s Tips

• The key to smooth-textured congee is soaking the beans the night before; if you skip this step, the beans will take at least 2 hours to soften and the total cook time will be much longer.
• Water-to-ingredient ratio is roughly 3:1 — fill your pot with the ingredients, then add three times as much water. This is a forgiving recipe; adjust to how thick or thin you like your congee.
• Using a slow cooker or rice cooker overnight is the most convenient approach: set it up before bed and wake up to a ready pot.
• For peeling chestnuts easily: drop them into a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then lift them out onto a towel and rub with the towel while still hot. The inner skin comes off much more easily this way. Even if a little skin remains, it will float to the surface as the congee cooks and can be skimmed off.