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This delicious, savoury Asian classic is sure to warm you up on a cold morning or afternoon. The flavours of ginger, shitake, and turkey meatballs make it a great source of nutrition and flavour!
Quick Facts - Nutrition
Shitake Mushrooms may help support your immune system, aid in heart health, and may help prevent some chronic diseases including some types of cancer. They are a staple in many Asian diets, and are used historically in traditional Asian medicine (i.e. TCM).
Turkey is a great source of lean protein, and is delicious using the turkey meatball recipe here! Choosing lean sources of animal protein is a great way to keep your diet lower in saturated fats (think heart health), as well as make your recipe lower in calories.
Brown rice is higher in fibre, and has a lower glycemic index than white rice. Choosing high fibre foods more often can help keep you full longer, support gut health, and aid in chronic disease management such as diabetes, heart disease, and in weight management.
Ginger is implicated in many health related outcomes, including: anti-inflammatory, immune supporting, pain management, heart health, gut health, and may reduce risk of some cancer, such as colorectal, ovarian, and gastrointestinal.
Garnishing your congee with greens such as bok choy, lettuce, cilantro (or other greens and herbs) is another great way to boost fibre, folate, antioxidants, and the many other nutritious plant-based compounds found in green, leafy vegetables. The health benefits of including green leafy vegetables in your diet is immensw!
In fact, a recent study in the journal Neurology also indicated that even one serving a day of green leafy vegetables may slow cognitive decline with aging!
Congee Rice Porridge
(with Shiitake Mushrooms, Ginger, and Turkey Meatballs)
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
Pre-Cooked Brown Jasmine Rice (as per package instructions)
2 cup
Water (or low sodium chicken stock)
4 cups
Shitake Mushrooms, diced
2 cups
Ground Turkey Meatballs (or pork or chicken)
(see recipe for meatballs below)
Ginger, julienned
3 Tbsp
Green Onion
5 Tbsp
Salt and Pepper
to taste
Turkey Meatball Recipe
Ground turkey
1 lb
Green onion
3 Tbsp
Garlic, minced
1 clove
Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp
Black pepper
1 Tsp
Turkey Meatball Directions
Mix all ingredients together, and form into little meatballs
(size shape does not have to be perfect - I pinch them off quickly to save time)
Making the Congee...
Note: I actually added a little bit more rice and mushroom than what you see here - which is corrected in the recipe below!!
Congee Directions
1. Bring water (or stock) to a boil, add all ingredients (including raw meatballs). Reduce heat to medium low.
2. Cover and cook until meatballs are cooked through, and rice is overcooked and starts to look like a puree (~20-25 minutes - See photo below).
Note: You may need to add more water to prevent burning. There is no way to overcook this recipe! You are looking for a consistency like oatmeal.
To serve
1. Serve with tamari (or reduced sodium soy sauce or maggi seasoning), and black pepper. Add as desired.
2. Option: Mix in some salad greens like lettuce, or bok choy. When you mix, the heat from the congee will wilt the salad, which is what you want!
Have you tried this recipe?
How did it turn out?
Comment below, I'd love to hear your feedback!
Thanks for reading!
About me: I'm Daniel Neuman, a Registered Dietitian and owner of Edmonton-based nutrition consulting company, Simplify Nutrition. I'm also a passionate foodie learning and teaching about global foods, evidence based nutrition, and practical cooking skills. If you like the content, stay connected. If you want to work with me, get in touch! I offer private cooking classes and nutrition consulting in-person and online!
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References