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Congee & Porridge

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

traditionally used to strengthen the spleen, support lung function, and ease persistent cough with phlegm

In short: Yam, Job's Tears and Persimmon Cake Congee (Huai Shan Yi Mi Shi Bing Zhou) is a congee & porridge that traditionally used to strengthen the spleen, support lung function, and ease persistent cough with phlegm. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, digestive wellness, children's wellness. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: chinese yam, job's tears (coix).

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 20 min
Makes
600–900 ml
Respiratory & Lung WellnessDigestive WellnessChildren's Wellness
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.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Job's tears (coix) · Randomized controlled trial · 2024
    Myeloperoxidase activity rose significantly in the placebo group after 8 weeks but showed no significant change in the adlay tea group. Vascular endothelial function improved in the adlay group, especially in those over 40.Limitation: Participants were healthy adults and the outcomes were surrogate markers, so the results say little about clinical disease outcomes. Tea is a polyphenol-rich extract, not whole grain.PubMed 38945894 · 2 more job's tears (coix) studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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