Snakehead fish and winter melon congee
Boneless snakehead fish slices and sweet, translucent winter melon in a plainly seasoned congee with no MSG — gentle for a sensitive system.
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: People with a sensitive constitution react easily, and itchy skin and hay fever flare in humid heat. Snakehead fish is traditionally regarded as a food that won't provoke flare-ups and is a classic for recovery after surgery or illness. Winter melon clears heat and drains water, and the plain, lightly seasoned congee cools without irritating.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 55 min- 1Rinse the rice and toss with a pinch of salt and the oil; leave for 30 minutes. Bring the water to the boil, add the rice, return to the boil, then simmer half-covered for 40 minutes.
- 2Toss the fish slices with a pinch of salt, the cornflour and half the ginger and leave for 10 minutes.
- 3Add the winter melon and remaining ginger to the congee and simmer for another 10 minutes until the melon is translucent and soft.
- 4Turn up the heat, add the fish, separating the slices, and cook for 1–2 minutes until white. Season with salt and scatter with spring onion.
Cautions
- If you react to fish, use sliced chicken instead; try a small amount the first time you eat any new ingredient.
Chef's tips
- Ask the fishmonger to fillet and slice the snakehead for you — no fine bones, so it suits children and older people.
The TCM view
Snakehead fish is sweet and cold, tonifying the spleen, boosting qi and draining water to reduce swelling. Winter melon is sweet, bland and slightly cold, clearing summer heat and promoting urination. Rice is sweet and neutral, harmonising the stomach, and ginger is slightly warm, settling the stomach and tempering the cold. Mild and balanced, it clears summer damp without irritating.
