Celery, Job's tears & fish slice congee
Job's tears congee with tender fish slices and fresh, crunchy celery stirred in at the end — clean, light and not greasy.
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Damp-Heat shows up as spots, a bitter taste and sluggish bowels, and the warm, humid days of Awakening of Insects let damp-heat build up. Celery clears heat and calms the liver, Job's tears drain damp, and neutral fish adds protein without heaviness.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 90 min- 1The night before, rinse the rice and Job's tears and put them in the rice cooker with the water on the porridge timer. Move the fish from the freezer to the fridge to thaw.
- 2In the morning, pat the fish dry, slice it at an angle and mix with a little salt, the cornflour and ginger. Dice the celery.
- 3Pour the congee into a pan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add the celery for 1 minute, then the fish, separating the slices gently, and simmer for 2 minutes until white. Season with salt.
Cautions
- Avoid Job's tears during pregnancy.
Chef's tips
- Chinese celery is more aromatic, Western celery sweeter and crunchier — either works, and the chopped leaves can go in too.
- Add the fish last and turn off the heat as soon as it turns white, or it will break up.
The TCM view
Celery is sweet, bitter and cool, clearing heat, draining damp and calming the liver; raw Job's tears are sweet, bland and cool, strengthening the spleen and draining damp; white fish is sweet and neutral, nourishing without adding damp-heat; a little ginger keeps the bowl from being too cold for the stomach. Together they clear liver heat and damp-heat, just as this term calls for.
