After we shared our Creamy Rice Pudding recipe, we had many people write in asking for the gut-soothing congee porridge with bone broth recipe I mention in my 8 Key Steps for Natural Healing of Crohns, Colitis, Diverticulitis & IBS talk on YouTube. Traditional Chinese congee (or in Korean culture, jook) with broth is a great meal to provide bowel rest during digestive upset.

I have modified Dr. Ben Kim’s recipe slightly, as it is simple to follow and very easy to make. In his article When To Eat White Rice, Dr. Kim explains that contrary to the common belief that white rice is not a healthy go-to option, “there is nutritional value in white rice – it contains protein, carbohydrates, iron, and some B vitamins…the low fiber content of white rice compared to that of whole grains is what makes white rice a helpful choice when your digestive tract is weakened from chronic or acute illness.”

And so, because you asked for it, here it is!

GUT-SOOTHING CONGEE (JOOK) RICE PORRIDGE 

Ingredients:

– 2 cups cooked white rice (leftover or previously refrigerated rice works well)
– 2 eggs or 2 egg yolks
Veggie, Beef, or Chicken broth (enough broth to cover the rice in a soup pot)

*Note: Feel free to double this recipe if you’d like. You can also control how thick or thin the final result is by adding more or less liquid. Per Dr. Kim, it’s best to add about an extra inch of broth after the rice is fully covered. Broth, rather than water, adds extra minerals, gut-healing gelatin, and flavor – you can read more about the health benefits of broths in this blog post.

Directions:

  • Place 2 cups leftover or cooked rice in a medium-large saucepan.
  • Add enough broth to cover the rice, plus 1-inch extra.
  • Bring the broth and rice to a boil, then simmer for a good 10 minutes while stirring slowly.
  • Add the eggs or just the yolks – whisk the eggs in quickly with a fork, as you don’t want to end up with solid cooked bits of egg in your porridge. If you want undetectable eggs, or a perfectly smooth consistency, just add egg yolks (like you would with a carbonara sauce).
  • Stir continuously and allow porridge to cook for another few minutes.
  • For added flavor, drizzle with traditionally fermented soy sauce (wheat-free) and/or toasted sesame oil before eating.

This serves 1-2 people, depending on how much you like to eat per serving.

*I recommend white or Haiga rice until the digestive tract is quite healed, as brown rice is not tolerated as well. Here is another recipe of Dr. Kim’s which contains garlic and chicken for added nutrition, however the above recipe is recommended for those dealing with digestive upset.

As always, I’d love to hear from you if you decide to try this recipe. Please feel free to comment and share your experiences below!

If you’d like to share your pictures with us, please email us at service@listentoyourgut.com