Food Change: Recipes to Ease Cancer Recovery
The purpose and vision of this section is to share food-related information. Its overall aim is to aid cancer recovery and ease the journey to survivorship. Moreover, it is to provide a forum for survivors and thrivers to share their experience, knowledge and recipes with fellow sojourners. New posts will be added and updated intermittently, so please visit again for more info.
Rice Porridge: Make It According to Your Taste & Health Needs—submitted by Vivien (1yr survivor-thriver)
Many children across Asia and those who have grown up in Asian households around the world, particularly traditional ones, will understand the role of rice porridge in health recovery. There aren’t many who have not had some form of it (aka jook in Chinese) during their healing and recovery periods—from a cold, fever, flu, nausea, chickenpox, post-operation and so on. (Note: In many Chinese eateries and restaurants, often, what is served is a chock-full-of-ingredients form of rice porridge, given the familiarity of jook as an ultimate comfort food.)
Why have rice porridge you might ask, particularly the kind that’s made to resemble broth? There are three basic reasons. One, it is easy to digest, and doesn’t overwork the digestive system. Two, rice is very high in calories, which helps to maintain weight during recovery. Three, it helps to ‘settle the stomach’. In other words, when the body is weak, tired and unable to function normally, rice porridge is one of the foods that helps the body regain its balance towards a state of health.
For a cancer patient, I have had my share of rice porridge. The most basic and simplest way to make a rice porridge is to boil a half a cup of rice in four or five cups of water (the total amount is really according to your need and taste). The more water is used, the thinner the porridge. The key is to boil the rice until all the grains burst open, like tiny little clouds floating in milky water; in fact, the end product is ‘cloudy’. With a little salt (and pepper) to taste, it becomes a rice broth (instead of chicken or beef)! This is the most basic kind of rice porridge that is typically made in Asian households when a family member is recovering from illness.
Equally important is protein—especially for a cancer patient who is underweight (as I was). Therefore, ground chicken or ground beef or eggs are great additions to the rice porridge. Plus, the Chinese mirepoix (ginger, scallion and cilantro) would help to flavor the porridge, giving it added flavor dimensions as well as texture.
Here’s a basic recipe:
1/2 cup of rice (long or short grain, according to taste), rinsed thoroughly
4 to 5 cups of water
In a pot, boil the rice until all the grains burst open and the porridge is cloudy
Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste
For additional flavors and texture (optional and your choice of combo):
1/2 a sprig of scallion (green, white or combo parts—all according to your taste)
2-3 sprigs of cilantro, chopped
3-4 slices of ginger, julienned
Add the above ingredients into the boiling porridge, cook for three to four minutes; then turn off heat and let it rest for a couple of minutes before serving
Making it a full meal: Adding ground proteins of your choice: chicken, beef, turkey and-or eggs. Because ground protein is used, the cooking time will be very quick—only about three to four minutes. After cooking the meat in the boiling porridge, turn off the heat and let it sit for another couple of minutes. This is to allow for all the flavors to meld together before serving. If eggs are used, after breaking them into the boiling porridge, stir the yolks a few times to allow little strands of yellow ribbons to form, then serve!
Try mixing and matching herbs and proteins! Let your body, mind and spirit (in the moment) determine the kind of rice porridge you’d like to have on a day when your tummy is restless, when you are feeling more than a bit under the weather—when you need a little extra comfort!
Flash Fried Romaine Lettuce—submitted by Vivien (1yr survivor-thriver)
This recipe appeared in the spring-summer issue of The Ginkgo Leaf. It is a recipe I shared with a patient’s loved one while distributing newsletter flyers at BIDMC’s Cancer Clinic one day. Often cooking and eating are not easy tasks for cancer patients; and in our conversation, this recipe came to mind. Moreover, uncomplicated and nutritious dishes are important and sometimes necessary goals. So, every now and then, when I make this dish I like to crack two eggs on top and let everything cook together.
1 large romaine lettuce (color of your choice and chopped)
1 scallion (cut into small, short sticks or julienned)
1 small knob of ginger (optional, sliced thinly or julienned)
2 to 3 tablespoons of oil (type and brand of your choice; eliminate if oil-free diet is required)
salt and pepper (of your choice and taste)
Add oil to a large pan over high heat. When oil shimmers, put scallions (and ginger) into the pan and stir quickly. Then add lettuce, salt and pepper; stir quickly; cover and turn off heat. Wait 3 to 5 minutes, then serve (with warm fluffy rice). The lettuce remains crunchy but soft enough to digest!
Note1: Try it with a drizzle of sesame oil or soy sauce (or both) before serving. Definitely try both on top of the eggs!
Note2: During Lunar New Year’s celebration, lettuce often accompanies the oysters, shiitake mushrooms and seaweed stew; they are symbols of life and prosperity! Please check back again for more info!
