Serves 4-6
Brown Rice Congee:
1 cup short-grain brown rice
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup white sticky rice
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white or yellow onion
Pinch of sea salt
1 fresh chilli pepper, seeds removed, minced (optional, if you like more heat)
1 tablespoon granulated cane or coconut sugar
1/2 cup tamari
1 pound beef (cut of your choice), cut into thin strips, any length you like
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh bail leaves
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
To make the brown rice congee:
In a medium pot, combine the short grain brown rice, white rice and sticky rice. Rinse it several times in water to get rid of extra starch until water runs clear when you drain it.
Add 3 cups of water or bone broth and bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the rice opens and softens, keeping the pot half covered. Watch to make sure it does not boil over, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure the water level is always at least 1/2 an inch above the rice level. This will take minimum 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a medium frying pan over medium to high heat. When the oil it hot, if using, add the garlic, onion, salt, and chilli pepper, if using, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently (and watching carefully) to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook until the onions are soft but remove them from the heat if they begin to get brown.
Once the oil is flavoured with the garlic and chilli pepper, you can add the sugar, soy sauce, and then the beef strips for a flash fry cooking over medium heat until the beef is to your liking. Add the basil leaves and let simmer together over low heat for another 5-7 minutes. This gives you a lovely sauce to pour ver your congee. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Turn off the heat and serve warm. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for several days.
This is one of my favourite dishes on a cold winter night, hope you enjoy!
Kelsey Bru is a licensed acupuncturist and TCM Herbalist in the Courtenay, British Columbia. She loves working with women's health, hormones, menopause, fertility, mental health, and beyond through her online articles and at her clinic, The Remedy Room, on Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay. Call for an appointment at 250-800-7738.
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