Mulberry, Hawthorn and Glutinous Rice Congee

Why people make this congee

Fresh mulberries are just coming into the market, though the peak is still a month or two off. Nourilo likes them because they’re cheap when in season and are traditionally associated with nourishing the liver and brightening the eyes. This mulberry, hawthorn and glutinous rice congee is his pick for those with fatty-liver concerns, and for the dizziness, blurry vision, restless sleep, ringing ears, achy lower back or early greying that traditional thinking links to liver-and-kidney depletion.

Method

1. Rinse the mulberry and hawthorn, add water and simmer about 40 minutes. Strain out the dregs and keep the liquid.
2. Use that liquid to cook the glutinous rice into a congee (water about 3–4 times the rice).
3. Stir in rock sugar until dissolved. Serve in whatever amount you like.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fresh mulberries are sweet-tart and tasty and can be cooked right into the congee — add them near the end and simmer 5–6 minutes. But unripe fresh mulberries are high in tannins, which hinder iron and calcium absorption; children especially should not eat large amounts. If you’d rather skip the glutinous rice, you can simply drink the strained mulberry-hawthorn liquid sweetened with rock sugar.