Ayurvedic Basic Kanji, Kunyi, or Congee in TCM and Illness Recovery Guide

Ayurveda puts an emphasis on prevention, but it also gives us guidelines of what to do when we get sick.

Illness is a sign of the body to slow down, to rest, until you are back in balance. Whenever you get sick, you should rest until you are fully recovered. This means not looking into any screens (TV, phone, pad), but to rest in bed, sleep well, and to eat very simple meals.

Jatharagni, your digestive fire is very low when you are ill. Therefore, it is important to eat different, and easier to digest foods.

You probably already have heard of kitchari, but it's time to get to know Ayurvedic kunyi, or kanji or congee in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Kanji is an amazing meal whenever you feel depleted or sick. It is even easier on your digestive system than well-known kitchari. Therefore, it assists your body in healing itself. The energy your body generally uses for its digestive process is much less with this meal, and can instead be directed towards healing.

This rice water will gently help you regain your energy and digestive capacity. You can eat this dish whenever you feel sick, weak, try to get well, need a reset for your digestive system, suffer from burnout, grief, or if you are in your postpartum phase.

In the first days, you should prepare this with 16 cups, also known as manda kanji. Because it is so liquid, it will also hydrate you well.

You could make this also with 11 cups (2,3 l) of water, also called peya kanji, which is a less liquid rice gruel.

If you feel like you want it more “chewy”, you can also make a vilepi kanji, with only 2 cups of water.

But the more liquid, the more healing for your whole system.

You can also experiment with different spices.

While you feel sick, you can have this as breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After a few days of having this rice gruel, you can also add split mung dal into the dish, or even vegetables. Click here for a kitchari recipe.

You could also eat kanji as breakfast once or twice a week to support your agni. Or whenever you have overeaten the night before. The heartiest version, vilepi kanji would be best for a regular breakfast. But if you are ill, the most liquid one, manda will serve you best.

Generally, the recipe contains water, rice, ghee, and rock salt. However, freshly grated ginger, turmeric, and other spices make it taste delicious as well.

This recipe serves about 4 or more big meals and takes around 90 minutes to make.

INGREDIENTS

-       16 cups (3,4 l) water

-       1 cup (200 g) basmati rice

-       1 tbsp ghee (if you are vegan, you can choose sesame oil or coconut oil but both have different qualities)

-       1/3 tsp rock salt

-       Optional: 1 cm freshly grated ginger, spring onion, black sesame seeds or rose petals; other spices such as turmeric, ajwain, fennel seeds etc., squeeze of lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the rice overnight in water, strain the next day and rinse until the water is entirely clear.

Melt the ghee in a big pot, if you like to add ginger, you can now grate and add it to the ghee, as well as any spices that you may like.

Add the rinsed and strained rice, as well as the cups of water.

Cook for about 90 minutes hours on medium-high or low heat.

Add the salt at the end.

 You can add more spices, or top it with spring onion – Ayurveda would recommend them slightly cooked in a pan.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, spring onion will drive out any infection.

Slightly roasted black sesame seeds will give you even more minerals than just rock salt.

You could also add other spices, depending on your specific wants and needs.

I recommend not storing it longer than 12 hours, for it loses its prana.

A little tip: You can keep this in a thermos and sip it throughout your day.

If I inspired you to try this, please tag me in your pictures. And contact me, I would love to know more about your healing process.

With love,

Lisa