Slow-Cooker Congee

Congee (or "Jook") is a wonderful, easy to digest, highly nourishing rice porridge dish. This recipe falls under the category of "more things to do with stock." I often recommend this when people need to restore their energy, and seasonally, it is one of the most appropriate dishes for consolidating the energy in the winter.

Start with 4-6 cups of stock and 2-4 cups of water (depending on how concentrated you want to make the congee) for a total of 8 cups of liquid. Put this in your slow-cooker/crock-pot. Add 1 cup of short grain white rice (I like Koda Farms Kokuho Rose). Turn your slow-cooker to low and come back in 6-8 hours. About 20 minutes before you're ready to take it out add about an inch of fresh ginger cut into matchstick size.

This will make 4 servings. Serve it topped with pork, sauteed greens and freshly toasted walnuts - or whatever else you like!

Note: To make this on the stovetop increase the fluid to 10 cups, bring to a boil and then simmer on low until it is ready, probably an hour or so. Again add the ginger 20 minutes or so before its done.

Opening the Middle Dan Tian in 3 Gates Gong

Using Bone Stock in Everyday Cooking

We are now in the time of year where the energy is moving inward. This is a great time to use bone stocks in your everyday cooking to support the energy and nourish the kidneys. I'll post a recipe soon for slow-cooker congee using pork stock, but in the meantime, start using a small amount of stock - around a tablespoon or so - when you steam vegetables and cook rice. Just mix it in with the water and you have a quick way to get concentrated nourishment that consolidates the qi and supports the essences.

To make stock follow the recipe: Making Bone Stock

Classical Chinese Medicine Study Group

I am going to be starting a new Classical Chinese Medicine study group in January. I have led an ongoing group for a number of years (except last year), with Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee supervising and meeting with us twice a year, when she is in the area. In the past we have focused on the Neijing Suwen, working with key chapters in Chinese.

The format for the study group is very collaborative and interactive with discussions and presentations. The group works together and as individuals to make a functional (i.e. for our own understanding) translation of the text which will give people experience with reading and writing classical Chinese - it truly is "Chinese Medicine from the Classics." This is something that I love doing!

I am looking at starting mid-January of 2011. I haven't set a specific date or time yet, but we previously have met on a Saturday or Sunday morning from 10-12 or so. This will be an ongoing group so there is not a set timeframe in terms of number of months, etc. We usually meet once a month as a group (except for December due to holidays and what-not) and then twice a year with Elisabeth. After the first meeting people should have an idea of whether it is something that they would like to continue on an ongoing basis. The group is ideal for practitioners or students of Chinese Medicine, or those with some background in the basic theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Contact me at http://traditionalhealtharts.com/contact.html if you are interested or have any questions.