Eight Treasure Congee, also known as “Bā Bǎo Zhōu” (八宝粥) in Mandarin, is a traditional Chinese breakfast, side dish or dessert made with glutinous rice, a variety of dried grains, beans, fruits and nuts. As you might have guessed, this dish contains eight nutritious ingredients. Read on to find out what they are.
INGREDIENTS
10
RECIPE STEPS
6
TOTAL TIME
1 h 10 m
Why You Need This Recipe
- It is a traditional and authentic recipe that will allow you to experience the true taste of Chinese cuisine
- It is a healthy and nutritious dessert that can be enjoyed guilt-free
- It is a great vegan dessert
About Eight Treasure Congee (Bā Bǎo Zhōu)
The recipe for Eight Treasure Congee can vary from family to family and can also vary depending on the availability of ingredients. The recipe that I’m sharing with you will give you a solid base but it is flexible depending on what you have available at your local supermarket or Asian grocery store.
My grandma loves to make this dish for us and serves it as a warm dessert during winter. As a result, every time I eat this dish it makes me feel warm and cared for because I know her way of showing us love is to make sure we are well nourished. I hope you enjoy making this dish and feel warm and loved when you eat it too!
Star Ingredient
Black Rice (Forbidden Rice)
Forbidden rice, also known as black rice, is a highly nutritious grain that has been cultivated in Asia for centuries. Unlike its more common white and brown counterparts, black rice is rich in antioxidants, fibre, and iron.
READ MORE: Why Forbidden Rice is different to all other types of rice →
Other Ingredients
- Glutinous Rice
- Barley
- Azuki Beans, dried
- Lotus Seeds, dried
- Raw Chestnuts, coarsely chopped
- Red Dates, dried
- Raisins
- Rock Sugar (optional)
Scroll to the bottom to find the full list of ingredients and detailed recipe.
Prepping Tips
To help with the cooking process, it is important to soak the grains and beans in water overnight
Since it can be difficult to find all of the ingredients to make this recipe, my grandma has been known to make Eight Treasure Congee with less than 8 ingredients. On some occasions, she has substituted some of her original ingredients if she can’t find them at the supermarket or the Asian grocery store.
Here are a list of alternative ingredients that you may use if you are having trouble finding the original ingredients in stock (trust me, the final product is still delicious with any of these substitutions):
Barley alternatives
- Brown rice
Dried Azuki Bean alternatives
- Mung beans
- Red kidney beans
Dried Lotus Seed alternatives
- Red peanuts (from Asian grocery store)
- Dried lily slices (from Asian grocery store)
- Peanuts
- Cashews
Raw Chestnut alternatives
- Chopped walnuts
Red Date alternatives
- Dried longan
- Dried goji berries
- Taro (cut into small cubes)
Complete Recipe Steps
Here’s a summary of the steps you need to follow to make Eight Treasure Congee.
1
Combine the glutinous rice, black rice, barley, azuki beans, lotus seeds and chestnuts in a big bowl. Add water to cover the mixture and soak overnight. Discard the soaking water and drain thoroughly before cooking
2
Combine the soaked rice and nuts blend, red dates, and raisins in a big pot and add 10 cups of water.
Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe card
3
Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Reduce to a low heat and cover the pot with the lid. I usually place the pot lid slightly to the side and leave a 2 cm gap to allow steam to escape and prevent the congee from boiling over and spilling out.
4
5
6
How to Serve Eight Treasure Congee
Eight Treasure Congee can be served warm or cold, depending on your preference. It is often served as a dessert or a sweet snack, but can also be eaten as a breakfast porridge if you don’t add the rock sugar.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use regular rice instead of glutinous rice?
No, glutinous rice is the one ingredient in this dish that cannot be substituted. It is essential for this recipe as it provides the desired sticky and chewy texture.
Can I use different dried fruits and nuts?
Absolutely! You can use any combination of dried fruits and nuts that you like or have on hand.
How long can I store the congee?
Sweetened Eight Treasure congee can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, add some water and heat on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
Alternatively, you can enjoy it as a cold snack directly out of the fridge. If you have made Eight Treasure Congee without the sugar, then you will need to eat it within 2 days.
Printable Recipe Card
Eight Treasure Congee is a delicious and nutritious dessert that is easy to make and perfect for special occasions or a sweet snack. With this recipe, you can experience the authentic taste of Chinese cuisine and impress your friends and family with your culinary skills.
Eight Treasure Congee (八宝粥)
Ingredients
- ½ cup glutinous rice
- 2 tbsp black rice (also known as forbidden rice)
- 2 tbsp barley
- 2 tbsp azuki beans dried
- 2 tbsp lotus seeds dried
- 2 tbsp chestnuts raw, coarsely chopped
- 6 to 10 red dates dried (also known as jujubes)
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 l water can use up to 10 cups
- 100 g rock sugar optional
Complete Recipe Steps
- Combine the glutinous rice, black rice, barley, azuki beans, lotus seeds and chestnuts in a big bowl. Add water to cover the mixture and soak overnight. Discard the soaking water and drain thoroughly before cooking.½ cup glutinous rice, 2 tbsp black rice, 2 tbsp barley, 2 tbsp azuki beans, 2 tbsp lotus seeds, 2 tbsp chestnuts
- Combine the soaked rice and nuts blend, red dates and raisins in a big pot and add 10 cups of water.6 to 10 red dates, 2 tbsp raisins, 2 l water
- Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Reduce to a low heat and cover the pot with the lid. I usually place the pot lid slightly to the side and leave a 2 cm gap to allow steam to escape and prevent the congee from boiling over and spilling out.
- Simmer until the congee reaches your desired texture. If you want a thin texture, simmer for 40 minutes. Otherwise you can simmer for up to 60 minutes for a stickier and thicker texture.
- (Optional) At the end of the cooking, add the sugar and stir to dissolve it completely.100 g rock sugar
- Serve hot as a dessert or side.
Notes
- Barley can be substituted with brown rice for a similar texture
- Dried azuki beans can be substituted with mung beans or red kidney beans
- Dried lotus seeds can be substituted with a raw nut like cashews or peanuts
- Raw chestnuts can be substituted with chopped walnuts
- Red dates can be substituted with dried longan, goji berries or taro