Venus Rising

Food for SoulIssue: Capricorn 06

Conjure Up Your Defenses with Congee

There is a tendency to be hung over when the New Year rolls around, literally and figuratively. Literally, we likely overindulged in alcohol, sweets, and fattening rich food…one too many eggnogs, too much veggie dip and a lot of cheese. We were so busy that we didn’t have much time for exercise, sleep, or simple quiet time. Figuratively, we overindulged in social scenes, family gatherings, and shopping. We made it through too many malls, dinners, office parties, school performances, and holiday shindigs. Or, we made it through a sad or melancholy season for the first time without a loved one. In any case, we have generally put our health, body, and spirits through the ringer, making us weary and vulnerable.

A new year is an obvious point to begin replenishing our bodies and our souls. It is time to build up our defenses against the cold and flu season and to attend to our own well being. What you eat can be the best and first defense against illness and the greatest tool to provide comfort. As a kid, I spent winter mornings waiting the excruciatingly long two minutes for my morning Malt O Meal. The Midwest variation of Cream of Wheat was a comforting and healthy way to send my brother and me out into the cold for that long, seven block walk to school. To this day there is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of cereal before trudging out into winter. The need to comfort and care for ourselves with food is universal. In almost all cultures there is a version of hot cereal. It is standard fare for breakfast or lunch and one of the first edibles after being ill. 

Photo by Philip GaligaIn China, the time-honored food for comfort and health is Congee. Congee is a cross between hot cereal and soup. However, we in the West would consider it more like gruel or porridge. In its most basic form it is scented rice, like jasmine, simmered for a long time with 4-5 times its volume in water. It is most often served plain, but can also be topped with hard-boiled eggs, pickles, dried fish, or hot sauce. Depending on the intended health benefits or one’s taste, it is host to other ingredients including chicken, shrimp, peanuts, vegetables, and seasonings. The rice aids in digestion. Add ginger to help circulation. Add garlic to help lower cholesterol and boost overall health. Add onion, garlic, chicken, and vegetables to make it a full fledged line of health defense and comfort. 

In Thailand, rice also reins supreme and is made into Koa Thom, which means boiled rice. It is prepared simply, just rice boiled in water, and cooked to a stickiness that allows you to mold it into solid shapes. Often rice is the center of the meal, with tiny dishes of chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and other condiments served too. It is also served with every main dish, including the common hot broth soups filled with vegetables…perfect for what ales you. 

In either case, soup or bundle, the rice is made in large batches, partly because it is slow to cook, but mostly because it is made to last a week, the pot staying on the stove to dip into every morning or whenever a warm up or bit of nourishment is needed. The Congee, in particular, is considered a cure for most sicknesses. It is given to babies as a first “real” food or a substitute for mother’s milk. In that vein, it is not dissimilar to our use of rice cereal as the first solid food for our children. The box with the ageless baby face containing rice cereal is a staple in most infant households.