congee--for your health care

Today I'd like to introduce another traditional Chinese food--congee. It is more than a food, also is treated as nourishment for health care. The simplest way to cook congee is boiling rice with water until viscous. Neither the materials nor the cooking method is complex for making congee.

I like it because of its nice aroma and the feel of soft fluid rice on the tongue. Since the rice would be cooked so soft and viscous, the congee is to be drunk rather than eaten. My grandma used to cook different types of congees for me. Every time she cooked congee. the entire house would be full of the aroma. So before my mouth tasted the congee, the nose had already enjoyed.

There are usually two ways to cook congee. One is cooking the rice with high fire until the water is boiling, then switch to slow fire to make the congee viscous. The second way is the same as the first one at the beginning. The difference is that you need to pour the boiling congee into a wooden barrel to stew in a sealed condition. Personally I prefer the second way because it can make the aroma stronger. But it would cost more time and effort. When cooking congee, sufficient water should be added all at one time, otherwise the congee won't be evenly viscous.

Commonly, people don't eat clear congee, instead they will put some ingredients to make the congee tastier. The ingredients such as medlar, shredded meat and sashimi would be put in the congee on slow fire after the clear congee has boiled. There are dozens of common congees due to different ingredients. Many Chinese medicinal plants are also included in those ingredients. Therefore, most congees have different functions of health care. For example. prevent constipation, lose weight and increase appetite.

Now do you want to have a bowl of delicious congee? Go and make it!