Rice Congee with Yi Yi Ren and Mung Beans
Categories: Asian, Bi Syndrome Hot, Rice and Grains, Spleen Damp, Spleen Damp Heat, Spleen Qi Vacuity, Vegan, Vegetarian
Rice Congee with Yi Yi Ren and Mung Bean (6 – 8 servings)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice
- ½ cup job’s tears (coix, Chinese pearl barley, yi yi ren)
- ¼ cup mung beans
- ¼ cup adzuki beans
- fresh ginger, sliced (use a piece approximately the size of your thumb)
- 1 – 2 inch square piece of kombu or comparable amount of wakame
- 7-8 cups water
Directions
- Soak the rice, job’s tears, mung beans, and adzuki beans in water overnight.
- Drain and place in a non-reactive cooking pot. Add the water and ginger.
- Bring to a boil.
- While you are waiting for the rice, yi yi ren and adzuki beans to come to a boil, pour a bit of hot water over the kombu to let it soften for 5 or 10 minutes. Once it is rehydrated, cut it up into small pieces and add to the cooking pot with the other ingredients.
- Once the pot has come to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 1 – 2 hours or until the job’s tears is tender to the bite. Stir occasionally to break up the rice grains.
- Options: if not a fan of eating seaweed, leave it whole and remove at the end of cooking time.
TCM ANALYSIS
Pattern: Bi Syndrome/Wind-Damp-Heat Obstructing Channels
TCM properties
Ingredient Taste, Temp, Organs Function
Rice: neutral, sweet; SP, ST; Supplements the center and boosts the qi; fortifies the spleen and harmonizes the stomach; eliminates vexatious thirst, stops diarrhea and dysentery
Job’s Tears/Yi yi ren: cool, bland; SP, ST, UB; Drains dampness, promotes urination.
Mung beans: cold, sweet; HRT, ST, UB; Clear heat, promotes urination.
Adzuki beans: neutral, sweet, sour; SP, HRT, SI; percolate damp, promote urination.
Ginger: Warm, pungent; LU, SP, ST; Release the exterior, disperse wind-cold; transform fluids, resolve toxicity
Kombu: Cold, salty; LVR, ST, KD; Clears heat, softens hardness.
-from Siri Michel