Work Text:
Blair was cooking something special for dinner. He hoped Jim would like it, but it was very different, so it was up to Jim to decide. It was Laba Congee. It’s a form of Chinese porridge. Blair had the makings for deli sandwiches in case Jim wouldn’t eat dinner. Jim didn’t always appreciate trying new things. Blair would have to hope he’d try some. The more Blair thought about it, the more he decided he would make sandwiches and have a bowl of porridge to accompany them. Jim liked soup and sandwiches. There might be hope.
Jim walked in and said, “I smelled dinner downstairs, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what you made. What did you make, Chief?”
“We’re having deli sandwiches and soup. It’s called Laba Congee. The reason we’re having it is that today is Bodhi Day, and we celebrate with this porridge dish. Does it sound good?”
“It smells pretty good. I smell a couple of different kinds of nuts in it. I’ve never had soup with nuts in it before. I’ll try it.”
“Thank you, Jim. I appreciate you trying it.”
“What exactly is Bodhi Day, anyhow?”
“Bodhi Day commemorates the day Siddhartha Gautama (the historical Buddha) attained enlightenment, or “bodhi”. It marks the moment Siddhartha Gautama, after years of asceticism, meditated under the Bodhi tree and achieved enlightenment, gaining insight into the root of suffering and how to overcome it. This is the transformation into Buddha, or the awakened one. So, we are going to meditate after dinner, unless you’d rather not. I won’t force you, Jim. But it is a good holiday. Everyone should try to overcome suffering. Don’t you agree?”
“I do agree. You know I don’t meditate as much as I should, but I will tonight. I appreciate you telling me about these holidays so that we can do something different. Life is never dull with you, Blair.”
“Thanks, man. It’s ready if you would like to try it. Go wash up, and I’ll put everything on the table, Jim.”
“Thank you for the introduction to Bodhi Day. Looking forward to tasting it. And by the way, I had no idea that this guy was Buddha. I learn something new almost every week with you.”
Blair got everything put on the table and waited for Jim to come out. Once Jim sat down, he poured some of the porridge into the bowl and tasted. He made a face that Blair wasn’t thrilled with, but then you could tell Jim was giving it a chance. He ate another bite, and it went over well.
He smiled over at Blair and said, “It’s not bad, Chief. You have to get used to it. Have you had it before?”
“Oh, yeah, I used to make it at my apartment years ago. It’s cheap and easy to make. I was all about cheaper when I lived alone.”
“Did you love it?” Jim asked.
“Love is a strong word. I liked it and it was filling, which I needed at the time.”
“I’m getting more used to it, Blair. Why aren’t you eating it?” Jim wondered.
“I will now. I was busy watching you. Thank you so much for trying it and liking it. I’ll make it again next year on Bodhi Day. All right?”
Recipe for Laba Congee
Tools: Rice Cooker
Preparation Time: ~6 hours
Total Cook Time: ~1 hour
Servings: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup of sweet rice
• 1/3 cup of black rice
• 1/4 cup of pearl barley
• 1/3 cup of red beans
• 1/4 cup of black beans
• 1/4 cup dried lotus seeds
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 3 dried jujubes
Gather all the ingredients. Soak the grains and beans in water. For super tough beans (like red beans and black beans), soak for at least 6 hours. The rest can soak for 3 hours. There’s no need to soak raisins and dried jujubes.
Drain the beans and grains. Place everything except the raisins into the rice cooker and fill the water to the 1.5 cup mark for porridge.
Close the rice cooker lid and press the “porridge” button. For 1.5 cups of porridge ingredients, it takes approximately 1 hour to complete the cooking process in my rice cooker.
When the rice cooker completes cooking, open the lid and add the raisins, stirring to combine. Add sugar if you prefer a sweeter version. The Laba congee/porridge is best served when it is warm.
Bon Appétit