「Labazhou (Eight Treasure Porridge)」

Ingredients and amounts

• 1L water
• 50g rice
• 50g glutinous rice
• 50g pearl barley
• 50g black rice
• 50g millet
• 25g lotus seeds
• 25g mung beans
• 25g red beans
• 25g peanuts
• 25g soybeans
• 25g peas
• 25g red dates
• 25g longan
• 25g chestnuts
• 25g shelled walnuts
• 25g raisins
• 25g kidney beans
• 10-25g rock sugar

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Wash the mung beans, red beans, peanuts, soybeans, peas, and kidney beans. Place them in a clean glass bowl and cover with water up to 3/4 of the bowl. Soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Wash the rice, glutinous rice, pearl barley, black rice, millet, and lotus seeds. Place them in a clean glass bowl and cover with water up to 3/4 of the bowl. Soak for 3 hours.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Drain the water from the bowl of mung beans, red beans, peanuts, soybeans, peas, and kidney beans. Transfer the soaked ingredients to a porridge pot. Add 1 liter of water, or enough to cover the ingredients by one thumb's width. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Drain the water from the bowl of rice, glutinous rice, pearl barley, black rice, millet, and lotus seeds. Add these to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Wash the red dates, longan, chestnuts, walnuts, and raisins. Slice the red dates into small pieces. Add these along with the rock sugar to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Once the porridge is thick and sticky, turn off the heat, serve, and enjoy.