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.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suitable for most people, including children and the elderly; warming and nourishing during cold winter months
• People with a very damp constitution (prone to bloating or loose stools) should use coix barley (yi mi) sparingly and may want to reduce the amount of glutinous rice
• People with diabetic concerns should be mindful of portion size, as this is a starchy, lightly sweet dish

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Grains — white rice, glutinous rice, millet, purple rice, coix barley (yi mi): In traditional food therapy, grains are the foundation of a nourishing meal; each variety is associated with supporting the middle burner (spleen and stomach) and providing gentle, sustained energy. Coix barley is also traditionally associated with draining dampness.
• Beans — kidney beans, adzuki bean (chi xiao dou), mung bean (lv dou): Beans contribute protein and fiber. Adzuki bean is traditionally associated with reducing swelling and supporting the spleen; mung bean with clearing mild heat.
• Nuts and dried fruit — peanuts, walnuts, chestnuts, longan, lotus seeds, lily bulb, red dates, raisins: Walnuts are traditionally associated with nourishing the brain and kidneys; red dates (jujubes) with supporting the blood; longan with calming the mind; lotus seeds with settling the digestion; lily bulb with soothing the lungs and nerves. Together they add natural sweetness and nourishment without the need for sugar.

Ingredients (4–6 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
White rice	2 tbsp
Glutinous rice	2 tbsp
Millet	2 tbsp
Black / purple rice	2 tbsp
Coix barley (yi mi)	2 tbsp
Mixed beans (kidney bean, adzuki, mung bean)	3 tbsp total	see method
Raw peanuts, skin-on	~30 g (1 oz)
Walnut kernels	~30 g (1 oz)
Dried longan flesh	10 pieces
Lotus seeds	~30 g (1 oz)
Dried lily bulb	1 tbsp
Red dates (jujubes), pitted	8 pieces
Raisins	1 tbsp
Chestnuts, peeled	6–8 pieces
Water	approx. 3× ingredients	adjust for desired thickness

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.

Bro Niu’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.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Cindy): What are the water and ingredient proportions for Laba congee, and how long does it take to cook? Bro Niu: If your beans have already been soaked, about 1.5 hours is enough. If not soaked, allow 2 hours. The water-to-ingredient ratio is roughly 3:1 — put your ingredients in the pot, then add three times as much water. A rice cooker with a porridge setting is the most convenient option — you can set it and walk away.

• Q (Ruby): Does the inner skin of the chestnuts need to be removed? It’s so difficult! Bro Niu: It’s actually not too hard once you know the trick. Have a towel ready. Drop the chestnuts into a large pot of boiling water for about 1 minute, then lift them onto the towel while still hot and rub with the towel — the skin comes right off. If you leave the skin on, it will float to the surface during cooking, but the congee will turn a bit grey and cloudy.

• Q (wong): What does “stir-fried rice” (chao mi) mean? Bro Niu: It means dry-toasting the rice in a clean, dry wok until fragrant and lightly golden — no oil needed. Toasted rice infuses the congee with a nuttier aroma and is traditionally considered to have a stronger stomach-warming effect than plain uncooked rice.

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Published January 8, 2014 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 5 min read.