Congee & Porridge
Nourishing Heart-Calming Congee (Yang Xin An Shen Zhou)
Traditionally associated with calming the mind, easing anxiety, and supporting restful sleep
Why people make this congee
Stress, uncertainty, and the pressure of daily life have made poor sleep quality one of the most common modern complaints. This congee is one of the most comforting and practical responses — a bowl of something warm, gently sweet, and assembled from ingredients that traditional Chinese food therapy has used for generations to quiet an overworked mind.
Wheat berries (the whole grain form of wheat, before it is refined into flour) carry a special association in Chinese food therapy with calming the heart and settling mental restlessness — a quality quite distinct from refined white flour. Paired with longan (for blood nourishment and heart-calming sweetness), lily bulb (cooling and sedating), lotus seeds (stabilising and spleen-supporting), and jujube dates (broadly nourishing and grounding), this congee becomes a layered, thoughtful formula rather than just a coincidental collection of comforting foods.
It is suitable for adults and children alike, and Bro Niu notes it is particularly helpful for children who grind their teeth at night or are emotionally sensitive and easily stressed.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Adults and children with insomnia, frequent waking, vivid dreams, or anxiety-related sleep issues
- Those with nervous exhaustion or neurasthenia
- Children who are emotionally tense, restless at night, or prone to teeth-grinding
- Pregnant women: reduce or omit the longan flesh and substitute with 5 qian (~19 g) of poria with heart (fu shen / bao xin fu shen)
- Generally mild and well-tolerated; suitable for the whole family as a regular congee
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Wheat berries (xiao mai mi): In traditional Chinese medicine, the whole wheat grain is associated with nourishing the heart, relieving anxiety, and settling emotional unrest — historically used for conditions of “organ restlessness” (zang zao) involving unexplained sadness, mental volatility, and insomnia; this is whole-grain wheat, not flour
- Longan flesh (yuan rou): Sweet and warming; nourishes the heart and blood; one of the most classic herbs for calming the spirit; should be reduced by pregnant women
- Dried lily bulb (bai he / Lilium brownii): Cool and moist; one of the main herbs for calming heat-driven insomnia and agitation; also gently supports the lungs
- Lotus seeds (lian zi): Astringent and stabilising; associated with calming the heart spirit and supporting the spleen and stomach
- Red jujube dates (hong zao): Blood-nourishing, stomach-friendly; a grounding base note for the overall formula
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat berries (wheat groats) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Soak in cold water for 2 hours first |
| White rice | ~75 g (2 liang) | Rinsed |
| Longan flesh | ~19 g (5 qian) | Rinsed |
| Dried lily bulb | ~37 g (1 liang) | Soaked and rinsed |
| Lotus seeds | ~37 g (1 liang) | Soaked and rinsed |
| Red jujube dates | 6 pieces | Pitted |
| Water | 3× the total volume of grains |
Method
- Soak the wheat berries in cold water for at least 2 hours (they take longer to cook than white rice, so pre-soaking is important).
- Rinse all other ingredients; pit the jujube dates.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot. Add water at 3 times the volume of the total grains (wheat berries and rice combined).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until everything is soft and the congee is smooth and thick — yielding about 4 bowls.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if desired (this congee is naturally sweet and usually needs no added sugar), and serve warm.
Bro Niu’s tips
This congee is naturally lightly sweet from the longan and dates — most people will not need to add sugar. It is mild enough for daily eating and suitable for the whole family. If you cannot find wheat berries, Bro Niu says you can add millet (xiao mi) instead — though the wheat berry’s specific heart-calming association in traditional food therapy makes it worth seeking out. In Canada and elsewhere, wheat berries/wheat groats are typically available at health food stores. Pregnant women should replace longan with poria with heart (fu shen, ~5 qian). For children who grind their teeth at night, this congee can make a real difference when eaten regularly.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Cindy / reader, writing from Canada): What is the English name for wheat berry (小麦米) so I can find it here? Bro Niu: The English name is wheat groats. You should be able to find them at a health food store.
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Q (Cindy / reader): Can I replace wheat groats with millet? Bro Niu: Yes, you can add millet along with the other ingredients.
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Q (kerry123 / reader): I have been producing an unusually large amount of saliva for a week — I keep having to swallow it. It seems watery and thin. My tongue coat is white and tasteless. I had this during pregnancy too. Any food remedy? Bro Niu: I do not have a specific food remedy for this — it may be related to emotional factors. Ingredients like qian shi (Gordon euryale seeds), yi zhi ren, and bai guo (ginkgo) have an astringent quality that might help reduce excessive fluid secretion. You could try making a soup with these and see if it helps.
Published January 16, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
