Wheat Berry and Red Date Congee

Why people make this congee

When a woman enters menopause, her body undergoes profound shifts that can leave her feeling unsettled in ways that are hard to name — heart palpitations, a sense of anxiety without a clear cause, broken sleep, night sweats, and a general feeling of being unmoored. In traditional Chinese medicine this cluster of symptoms is understood as an insufficiency of heart qi and heart blood. One of the most time-honoured remedies is a formula called Gan Mai Da Zao Tang — roasted licorice, wheat, and red dates — and this congee is its kitchen interpretation. By cooking wheat berries and rice together with red dates into a warm, mildly sweet porridge, Nourilo creates something that is both genuinely comforting to eat and traditionally associated with steadying the mind and reducing night sweats. The flavour is gentle, wholesome, and easy to eat every day.