Laba congee

Laba
Laba congee with nuts and dried fruits
Alternative namesEight Treasure Congee
TypeCongee
Place of originChina
Main ingredientsMany kinds of rice, beans, dried fruit, etc.
VariationsVariations depending on geographical regions in China
Two examples of the ingredients of Laba congee

Laba congee (simplified Chinese: 腊八粥; traditional Chinese: 臘八粥; pinyin: làbā zhōu) is a Chinese ceremonial congee dish traditionally eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth month in the Chinese calendar.[1]

The day on which it is traditionally eaten is commonly known as the Laba Festival. The earliest form of this dish was cooked with red beans and has since developed into many different kinds. It is mainly made up of many kinds of rice, beans, peanuts, dried fruit, lotus seeds, etc.[2][3] Depending on region-based variations in China, it can also include tofu, potato, meat and vegetables.

It is also known as "eight-treasure congee" (八宝粥; Bā bǎo zhōu)[4] and is usually made with eight or more ingredients, representing good luck.[5] Eight is a lucky number in China,[6] and the ba in Laba also means eight.[5]

  1. ^ Stepanchuk, Carol (1991). Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China. San Francisco: China Books & Periodicals. pp. 3–6. ISBN 0-8351-2481-9.
  2. ^ "Eight Treasure Congee". Flavor and Fortune. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Eight Treasure Congee—Mixed Congee". China Sichuan Food. Mediavine Food. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  4. ^ "农历腊八节:有悠久传统和历史 喝腊八粥腌腊八蒜". 中新网. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "'Eight treasure congee' shines during Laba Festival". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  6. ^ Hoon Ang, Swee (1 January 1997). "Chinese consumers' perception of alpha-numeric brand names". Journal of Consumer Marketing. 14 (3): 220–233. doi:10.1108/07363769710166800. ISSN 0736-3761. Retrieved 22 November 2022.