Rose and Red Date Blood-Nourishing Conge

Ingredients

• Black rice

• White rice

• Brown sugar

• 10 red dates (jujubes)

• A dozen or so medicinal-grade rosebuds

Instructions

1. Mix the black and white rice in a 1:1 ratio. Wash the rice mixture thoroughly and soak it in water overnight.

2. Pour the soaked rice into a rice cooker or pot. Add boiling water, ensuring you add enough water at the beginning to last the entire cooking process.

3. While waiting for the congee to boil, wash the red dates, remove the pits, and chop them into small pieces. Remove the stems from the medicinal rosebuds and separate the petals. Set aside.

4. Once the congee comes to a boil, add the chopped red dates and continue to cook together.

5. When the rice grains have softened and the congee has thickened, stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves.

6. Just before serving, sprinkle in the rose petals and stir gently to combine.

Health Benefits According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Rose (玫瑰): Helps regulate menstruation and alleviate period pain, reduce blemishes and prevent wrinkles, treat constipation, and beautify the skin.[1][2]

• Red Dates (红枣): Strengthens the spleen and stomach, tonifies qi and nourishes the blood, calms the spirit by nourishing blood, and moderates the properties of other herbs. It is considered a sacred food for replenishing qi and blood.[1][2][3]

• Black Rice (黑米): Nourishes yin and tonifies the kidneys, strengthens the spleen and warms the liver, tonifies the spleen and stomach, boosts qi and invigorates the blood, and nourishes the liver to improve vision.[4][5] Regular consumption of black rice is believed to be beneficial for preventing and treating dizziness, vertigo, anemia, gray hair, eye diseases, and weakness of the spleen and stomach.

• Brown Sugar (红糖): Is thought to boost qi and nourish blood, strengthen the spleen and warm the stomach, relieve pain, and invigorate blood circulation to resolve stagnation.[1][2]