Prepared He Shou Wu, Goji and E Jiao Millet Congee

Why people make this congee

Watching a loved one’s memory and independence slip away is hard, and Nourilo’s view is that prevention beats cure — keep the mind busy with books, chess and mahjong, get enough vitamin E from foods like wheat germ, whole grains, sesame, longan and dark leafy greens, and even chew gum or tap the teeth to keep the jaw active, which is thought to stimulate the memory-related hippocampus. Alongside all that, this congee is traditionally said to nourish the liver and kidneys and to support essence and blood.

Method

1. Rinse the ingredients. Add the he shou wu, goji, mulberry, red dates and millet to a pot with water and cook into a moderately thick congee.
2. For the e jiao, Nourilo crushes one piece, puts it in a bowl with hot water and steams it over water until it melts to a syrup.
3. Stir the melted e jiao syrup into the cooked congee to taste, so none is wasted. Eat as desired.

Nourilo’s Tips

It is best to add the e jiao after the congee is cooked: crush a piece, add about 80% water in a bowl, steam over water until it melts to a syrup, then stir 2–3 spoonfuls into hot congee or soup as you like. The prepared (zhi) form of he shou wu is more nourishing than the raw form; ordinary he shou wu is fine for most uses.