Let me cut the haters off right here: yes, congee is made from a grain. White rice. If you follow the Loren Cordain version of Paleo, then you don't eat grains, including rice and congee, on a Paleo diet. Just keep moving if you're not interested in this traditional healing food from Chinese Medicine.
Does rice have a place in the Paleo diet?
I say: yes it does. And I am certainly not alone here on #TeamWhiteRice. I didn't always think this way, though.
I've really broadened my horizons since starting my health journey in 2010. At first, I was dogmatic about diet being the answer, since I saw such tremendous and rapid results from diet change. When my results would stall the answer was "well, I just need to be 100% strict Paleo." This eventually became 100% strict AIP, and now 6 years in I'm so much wiser and know that diet is not The One Thing with which to cure yourself.
It was about 3 years into my journey that I quit being so stubborn and realized that I needed medical attention in order to overcome IBS, leaky gut syndrome, and chronic fatigue. I turned to the ancestral wisdom of Chinese Medicine and have really gone all in with this form of medicine to address my health concerns these last 3 years.
The beautiful thing about Chinese Medicine is that it takes the individual--past and present--into account and aims to treat the root cause of your illness. Acupuncture and herbal prescriptions are based on the unique history of the person, not just their symptoms.
You and I could both have a similar constellation of symptoms that a Western doctor might treat identically, but a Chinese Medicine doctor may use completely different acupuncture points and herbs, since we are individuals and the root cause of our problems is likely different. It's common for an acupuncturist to ask questions as far back as when your parents were trying to conceive you.....talk about a detailed medical history!
Congee and Chinese Medicine
Congee is a traditional healing food in Chinese Medicine. I've seen over half a dozen acupuncturists since 2013 and every single one of them has told me congee would be a great food for me to add to my diet. I regret that I waited until the end of 2015 to try it out! Damn diet dogma....I was so stubborn about making rice a regular part of my diet, against multiple doctor's recommendations, because "it's not Paleo". UGH. Well, it's part of my personalized Paleo, as you will. Chris Kresser (HEY he's an acupuncturist!) is the big proponent of this concept, and I think it's great!
Congee has become a staple food in my diet these last 6+ months, although I'm eating less of it now that spring is here (it is definitely more of a winter food). And I don't give a damn that it's not Paleo, because it is good for me and works with my body right now.
A big bowl of congee for breakfast feels good, tastes good, and fuels me until lunch.
Congee and the Stomach/Spleen (Earth Element)
It's beyond the scope of a recipe post to dive into Chinese Medicine theory, but I'll provide you with some links and books you can check out to learn more. I'd also like to write more about Chinese Medicine here on the blog, too, if you're interested in that! Very briefly, Chinese Medicine identifies 12 major organ systems and categorizes them into 5 elements:
- Water: Bladder & Kidney
- Wood: Gallbladder & Liver
- Fire: Small Intestine, Heart, Pericardium, San Jiao (aka "Triple Burner", you can think of this as hormones, metabolism)
- Earth: Stomach & Spleen (Pancreas)
- Metal: Large Intestine & Lung
I just want to point out that I KNOW this can sound very strange when you're first exposed to it, but please remember that I am a highly skeptical scientist. Neuroscientist, actually. And, using my critical scientist brain I've arrived at a place where I put my trust in this ancient medicine. It's not woo woo. The World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) agree.
So, in Chinese Medicine, the spleen, pancreas, and stomach need to be able to transform and transport the food that you eat so that it may nourish your body. The best way to help these organs have the easiest job possible is to eat warm, easy to digest, soupy foods. Cold and raw foods make their job the hardest. If you have a robust, strong digestion, then cold and raw foods are OK. But, so many of us who are drawn to Paleo and especially AIP have compromised digestion in some way, so anything we can do to make digestion easier will only help our health.
Congee is the go-to food in Chinese Medicine for those suffering many digestive woes. It is an excellent way to consume healing broth, too. Some acupuncturists will even prescribe certain herbs to cook in your congee, although I have never done that. I always take my herbal prescription as a separate tea away from meals.
Tips and ideas for congee
You can make congee on the stovetop, but you have to keep an eye on the pot for several hours. I did this for a while, and then I decided to try out the porridge setting on my Instant Pot instead. It works like a dream and saves me from having to remember to stir a pot.
The amount of broth you use will determine whether your congee is thin and soupy or thick and hearty. I like mine both ways and typically make it somewhere in the middle. I like to use either ground pork or chicken and cabbage to round out the congee and make it a complete meal. Sometimes I also use aromatics like celery, carrots, even turnips and radishes too. I like to keep seasonings simple with just onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and ginger with a green onion garnish when served. A splash of fish sauce and/or coconut aminos can be a nice garnish as well if you like those.
Use short grain rice (like sushi rice) when making congee - longer grained rice does not work well in congee and does not produce the correct silky texture.
Further reading and resources about Chinese Medicine
Original article and pictures take thecuriouscoconut.com site
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