Eight Treasure Porridge

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Eight Treasure Porridge is a classic sweet Chinese rice congee loaded with a colorful mix of beans, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Slow-simmered until creamy, it is traditionally served warm as a nourishing breakfast or festive dessert, especially around Lunar New Year.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 345 kcalCalories
• 7 gFat
• 1 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 7 gFiber
• 18 gSugar
• 10 gProtein
• 115 mgSodium
• 420 mgPotassium
• 85 mgCalcium
• 3 mgIron
• 6 mgVitamin C
• 25 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the grains and beans

• 1/2 cup short-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup sweet glutinous rice
• 1/4 cup adzuki beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons mung beans, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons black-eyed peas, rinsed
• 6 cups water

For the nuts, seeds, and dried fruits

• 1/4 cup dried longan, roughly chopped
• 8 dried red dates (jujubes), pitted and sliced
• 2 tablespoons goji berries
• 3 tablespoons walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

For finishing

• 1/3 cup rock sugar (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon osmanthus flowers (optional, for fragrance)

Directions

1. Combine the white rice, glutinous rice, adzuki beans, mung beans, and black-eyed peas in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water, and soak for 4 hours or overnight; drain well.
2. Transfer the soaked grains and beans to a heavy pot, add the 6 cups of fresh water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes to prevent sticking, until the beans are tender and the porridge is thick and creamy.
4. Stir in the chopped longan and sliced red dates and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes so the dried fruits soften and infuse the broth.
5. Add the goji berries, walnuts, peanuts, and rock sugar, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Season with the salt to round out the sweetness.
6. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the sesame seeds (and osmanthus flowers if using), cover, and let rest for 5 minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and serve hot.

Cook’s Notes

• Soaking the beans and rice ahead of time is essential for a creamy texture and even cooking; do not skip this step.
• For a richer, more silky congee, stir in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened coconut milk at the end of cooking.
• If the porridge thickens too much while resting, loosen it with a splash of hot water and stir until smooth.
• Rock sugar dissolves more gently than white sugar and gives a cleaner, less sharp sweetness, but regular sugar works in a pinch.
• Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to keep the porridge from scorching on the bottom during the long simmer.

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