Multigrain TCM-style Congee

Nourishing, warming, the perfectly healthy and nutritious breakfast for a yummy digestion!

An incredibly nourishing and warming multi-grain congee recipe. This is what I grew up eating with my Chinese mom and grandmother 👵🏻🍲

Beans and grains are so good for digestion, reduce inflammation & packed with protein, fiber and nutrients 💕Perfect way to start the morning. Eat this during spleen time (9-11am) for best health benefits.

Recipe (for 3 servings)

•3/4 cup mung beans 绿豆

•3/4 cup adzuki beans 红豆

•3/4 cup coix seeds 薏米

•2 cups millet 小米

•1 cup Jasmine rice 百米

•2,5 litres water

Step-by-step (rice cooker, porridge setting)

1. Rinse everything

• Rinse mung beans, adzuki beans, coix seeds, millet, jasmine rice in a big bowl 2–3 times, until the water is less cloudy.

2. Soak (Crucial for digestion + softer beans)

• Add the rinsed mix to a bowl

• Cover with plenty of water and soak at least 12 hours (overnight is best).

• Drain and rinse once more.

3. Add water

• Add the grains/beans back into the pot.

• Pour in 2.5 litres water.

4. Start cooking

• Choose Porridge/Congee setting on your rice cooker. If you do not have a rice cooker I recommend to simmer your congee for 1,5-2 hours in a pot on low-medium heat, stirring and checking on it from time to time.

• If your cooker lets you choose time, set 1.5–2 hours.

5. Stir once mid-way (prevents sticking)

• When it’s safe to open (usually 45–60 min in), stir well from the bottom.

• Close and continue.

6. Adjust texture at the end

• After it finishes, stir vigorously for 30–60 seconds (this makes it creamy).

• If it’s too thick: add a splash of hot water and stir.

• If it’s too thin: run another 20–30 min on porridge.

7. Rest

• Let it sit on Warm for 10–15 minutes to thicken and get silky.

Serve warm, ideally in the morning, consume in spleen time between 9-11am. Add toppings if you like (sesame salt, scallions, pickles, sesame oil). I love to enjoy mine with pickled mustard root and fermented tofu! Enjoy <3