Do you have no appetite? - How about "rice porridge"?

In Korea, when people feel sick or have no appetite, they usually eat rice porridge. It is called "congee" (in Korean 죽 [jook]). Congee is a dish made by boiling rice in water with a meats or sea foods and mixed chopped vegetables. In addition, congee is made by boiling glutinous rice flour with pumpkin, red bean, pine nut, and so on. The texture of congee is soft, smooth, and creamy. It is really comfort food for everyone.

Fig 1. Rice porridge. It is called "congee".

People in Korea who suffered from internal disease usually eat this food for regaining health. Today, people sometimes eat a meal in congee restaurants because it has a variety of menus now: congee with beef, chicken, abalone, shrimp, crab, mushroom, and so on. You can also buy some kinds of congees in the convenience store.

Fig 2. Korean congee restaurant.

(Left) One of representative congee restaurant (in Korean 본죽 [bon jook]).

(Right) Menus in congee restaurant.

Korean usually eats congee with abalone, chicken, or beef because these ingredients have lots of nutrients. If you are hungover and feel sick, I recommend you to try this food. Especially, I want you to try the congee with tuna, mixed vegetables, or pumpkin. Most of people may like tastes of tuna and mixed vegetables. Pumpkin is so sweet taste, so children really like it. Enjoy Korean congee!

Fig 3. Congees in convenience store.

(1) Tuna (in Korean 참치 [charm chi]) (2) Beef (in Korean 쇠고기 or 소고기 [so go ki])

(3) Mixed vegetables (in Korean 야채 [ya chae]) (4) Pumpkin (in Korean 호박 [ho bak])

(5) Red bean (in Korean 단팥 [dan pot]

 

In next article, I will introduce the first aid medicine including pain reliever, digestant, cold that is sold in convenience store.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy Korea!