Adzuki December 8 Porridge La-Ba Zhou
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La-Ba, means the 8th day of the 12th month on the Lunar Calendar. This is the month
when the Chinese will offer their prey to the Gods. The word La shared a similar meaning with
the word Lie (meaning hunting), and the offering rites were held on the 8th (Ba) day of the month,
hence La-Ba.
It was also believed that Buddha (Sakyamuni) who was weak and exhausted during his journey of
truth-seeking, was once fed a porridge made with nuts, beans, and rice, by a kind shepherdess.
After six years of disciplined meditation, he came to an enlightenment and realisation of truth
on the 8th day of the 12th month.
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Therefore the Chinese Buddhists also serve this porridge as
a religious ceremony. It was also an honour for those in the palace, to be invited to have
the porridge with the Royalty, as part of a welcoming rite for Chinese New Year.
There are 8 main ingredients used in the porridge, varying according to different area in China,
and individual's preference. Some call it Ba-Bao (8 treasures) porridge when served at other
time than Lunar December 8, but according to some, that is a totally different porridge. The
cooking may take a while, but the preparation is actually quite simple.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of:
Adzuki bean
kidney bean
shelled peanut
glutinous rice
brown rice
millet
wheat
barley
- 1/4 cup purple rice
- 1/2 cup dried longan fruit flesh, soaked for 20 minutes
- 20-30 pitted red dates, soaked for 20 minutes
- 10 cups of water
- 1/2 cup rock sugar
Preparation:
- Rinse, drain and dry all ingredients in (1).
- Place all ingredients in a large claypot, add in water and boil on medium for 3 hours, covered.
- Rinse dried longan fruit flesh and red dates, stir both into the porridge together with the rock sugar.
- Cook for another 2 hours.
Versatility Note:
- You can actually try other ingredients such as pine nut, lotus seed, water chestnut, and other dried fruit of your choice.
- Use a deep cooking pot if you don't have a claypot.
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