Fig, cinnamon and cardamom slowcooker congee
Based on the Chinese ‘breakfast for longevity’, this congee is the perfect way to wake up your digestion and ease into the day. It’s incredibly light and easy to digest and perfect for a detox day.
I first enjoyed congee on a trip to Hong Kong 15 years ago – it’s a thin rice gruel (thinner than porridge) with garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms and spring onions. As a breakfast dish it may take some getting used to, so here’s a sweet version.
This is my go-to overnight breakfast. All of the ingredients come straight from the cupboard – I just pop them into my slowcooker the night before and turn it on. You can also cook this on the stove, but allow at least 2 hours because the longer the congee cooks, the more medicinal it becomes. This breakfast is a great way to enjoy brown rice, because the long cooking process breaks it down while keeping some texture – but remember to soak it the night before you cook it.
Serves 3
55g (¼ cup) white basmati rice, rinsed
55g (¼ cup) brown basmati rice, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
3 cups (750ml) water
3 cardamom pods, cracked
3 dried figs, halved
2.5cm (lin) piece of fresh ginger, cut in half, or 1 tsp ground ginger
tiny pinch of sea salt
½ tsp ground coriander
TO SERVE
fresh figs or pear slices sautéed in ghee, butter or coconut oil
drizzle of maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp coconut cream, cream or almond milk (optional)
1 Add the ingredients to a slowcooker (putting them in a small ovenproof bowl if your slowcooker is a large one) and cook on low for 8 hours.
2 Alternatively, use a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid – it’s important that the lid fits tightly or the water may steam away. Add the ingredients to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and then place the lid on. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 2–6 hours, checking every now and then and adding a little water if necessary.
3 To serve, remove the ginger and figs (they may have lost their flavour, but eat them if you like!) and cardamom pods. Add enough boiling water to reach your desired consistency, then stir and ladle into bowls. Top with cooked fruit, maple syrup, cinnamon and a swirl of coconut cream, if you like.
TIP
•
Change it up by topping with a handful of raisins, dried apricots or chopped apple.