Yam, Job's Tears and Persimmon Cake Congee (Huai Shan Yi Mi Shi Bing Zhou)

Why people make this congee

When a cold lingers and a cough just will not clear — especially in children who cannot expectorate phlegm on their own — parents are often at a loss. Strong supplements are not appropriate, and yet doing nothing feels insufficient. This is where gentle food therapy shines. This three-ingredient congee requires no herbs from a pharmacy, no special equipment, and no complicated preparation. Chinese yam, Job’s tears, and dried persimmon cake together create a mildly sweet, pleasantly thick porridge that is easy to eat and easy to digest, and that has been used in Chinese households for generations to support the lungs and spleen after illness.