rice congee

One of my very favorite dishes to bring to brand new mommas is a beautiful recipe I learned from Ameya Duprey, an Ayurvedic postpartum doula and author of “Mama’s Menu.” This truly is the perfect nourishment for women who have just given birth — it is hydrating, sweet to replenish the energy in her cells, warm in temperature to balance her womb, full of warming spices to rekindle her digestive fires, and oily to bring in a nice slow burn of energy to balance the quick, sugary energy. And to top it off, it’s so tasty. Like a treat just for her.

There is nothing in the world like coming into a momma’s space, the birth glow still shining on her skin, her naked baby nestled onto her bare chest as they’re snuggled into their bed, and handing her a fresh bowl of nice hot spicy congee. For most, this concoction is such an unfamiliar texture, she may hesitate or furrow her brow, the dad usually has some comment like “what is that mush?” — but once her nose catches the aromatic spices, and she takes a spoonful onto her tongue…

She melts. Her whole system relaxing into the moment.

I like to tell the families I work with that this congee is like a much needed hug for the nervous system.

After Coy’s birth, I lived on this and only this for the first three days. And then as my milk shifted from colostrum to the fuller, more mature milk supply, my appetite also shifted. It was a distinct change! I continued to eat lots of congee after, and honestly even still when I make a momma a batch of postpartum congee, I’ll usually also do a batch for our household too.

I like to keep pint jars of the sugar and spices premixed on hand, that way I’m not needing to measure out each individual spice again and again and can very easily and quickly get a batch made. This is also a great thing for someone in the birth team to prepare for momma when she starts laboring — it can’t be overcooked, so toss all the ingredients in a crock pot and stir occasionally! It’s a good job for eager hands.

This also is the recipe I most often get texts about, like, “Hey! Could you send me that recipe again? The yummy stuff you made me after baby was born?”

So here it is, whether you’re a momma-to-be or a caregiver to one, enjoy!!!

postpartum rice congee

8 cups water

1 cup basmati rice

1 ½ cups coconut or cane sugar

½ cup ghee, butter, or sesame oil

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground cardamom

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. ground turmeric

In a medium size crock pot, add all ingredients on low heat and cover with lid. Let cook til consistency becomes like a rice pudding, roughly 8 hours. Stir occasionally, breathing in the aromatic spices and sending love into the porridge with each turn of your spoon. If you’re needing a batch faster, go ahead and cook on the stovetop in a heavy bottom pot with a lid on medium heat.

Always serve warm.

P.S — This particular recipe is one Ayurvedic version of traditional postpartum congee, but when you look around the world, nearly every place has some form of this recipe (long soaked, slow cooked grains) with their own local flavors and ingredients. How cool is that? The knowledge inbuilt in traditional postpartum practices spans across language and land barriers. The blueprint for caring for women’s long term health rings true no matter where you are on the planet.

So as you enjoy a bowl of congee, or serve one into the hands of someone you love, know that you are carrying forward a long held tradition of your people. Even if it’s skipped generations.

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