About the Recipe
Use this congee when the weather is damp or cold, when digestion feels slow, or when emotions feel sticky and hard to move through. It's especially helpful on days where you're craving warmth, movement, and grounded sweetness without overstimulation.
Ingredients
1 cup white rice (jasmine or short grain preferred)
6–7 cups water or broth (more for thinner consistency)
4–5 slices fresh ginger (adjust to taste)
6–8 dried jujube dates, pitted
1 small strip of dried orange peel or zest (about 1 tsp)
Small handful of goji berries (added in final 10 minutes)
Optional: drizzle of honey or ghee for serving
Preparation
Rinse the rice and add it to a pot with the water or broth.
Add ginger slices, jujube dates, and orange zest to the pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
After about 45–50 minutes, once the rice has broken down and the mixture is soft and porridge-like, stir in the goji berries.
Cook for another 10–15 minutes, adjusting consistency with more liquid as needed.
Serve warm with an optional drizzle of honey or ghee.
Primary Symptoms
Feeling heavy, sluggish, or weighed down—especially in the limbs
Digestive sluggishness: bloating, soft stools, poor appetite
Mental fog or emotional dullness, especially during rainy or humid weather
A tendency to feel cold or crave warmth in the belly
Low motivation or low mood that seems tied to the weather or diet
Notes and Variations
For stronger digestive support, add a pinch of dried chen pi (aged tangerine peel) instead of fresh zest.
If you tend toward heat or dryness, swap ginger for fresh pear slices or white fungus for a more yin-nourishing variation.
This congee is especially helpful when damp weather affects mood—feeling dull, unmotivated, or emotionally weighed down.
Suitable for kids if goji is added sparingly and the ginger is mild.