With Laba Festivities Canceled, Why Not Learn How To Make Porridge at Home?
As you're already aware, the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in nearby Hebei means that Beijing has once again tightened travel restrictions as well as limited large gatherings in the vicinity. That includes festivities for 腊八节 làbā jié Laba Festival, which this year falls on Jan 20.
Traditionally one of the most popular annual events at Lama Temple, dating back to the Qing dynasty, the hungry masses usually celebrate by descending on the temple grounds to snag a bowl of Laba zhou, or porridge. But not so this year after it was announced the usual porridge eating events would be canceled, leaving many would-be patrons out in the cold. (If you'd like to visit Lama Temple anyway, they are currently restricting visitor capacity to 50 percent.)
Believed to date back to the pre-Qin dynasty, there are several theories as to how the festival began with the general consensus being that Laba Festival was originally a celebration of the new harvest. After the spread of Buddhism in China during the first century CE, however, the festival was used to commemorate Buddha's enlightenment at the age of 35.
While you may not be able to join the throngs at Lama Temple this year, Laba porridge – a slightly modified version of 八宝粥 bābǎozhōu eight treasure porridge – is easy to make and hits the spot on cold winter days. There are many variations but the usual recipe calls for a mixture of rice, beans, nuts, and fruit and will usually have a purple hue thanks to the addition of dates. The below recipe comes courtesy of chinasichuanfood.com.
Ingredients (serves four)
- 1/2 cup glutinous rice
- 2 tablespoon black rice or any other type you prefer
- 1 tablespoon peanut
- 5 Chinese dried red dates
- 1 tablespoon mung beans
- 1 tablespoon red beans
- 10 dried longan
- 1/2 tablespoon walnut
- 6-10 cups of water depending on your cooking ware
Instructions
In a high-pressure cooker: Pre-soak peanuts, mung beans, red beans, and walnut for at least 4 hours and soak the rice for around 1 hour as well. Place all the ingredients and pour around 6 cups of water. Cook for around 30 minutes on pressure mode (or select the beans option if you have one).
On the stove: Pre-soak beans overnight and soak rice for at least 4 hours. Mix all the ingredients with 10 cups of water. Cook with strong heat to a boil, turn to low heat, cover and simmer for 40 to 60 minutes until all the ingredients are soft to taste. Leave a gap between the pot edge and cover to prevent the boiling congee from blowing out. Serve hot, optionally with a sweetening like sugar.
READ: Don't Be a Fool, Eat Your Gruel: The Story Behind Eating Porridge on Laba Festival
Images: china.com.cn, China Sichuan Food
