Eight-Treasure Congee (Lababa Zhou)
八宝粥 · bā bǎo zhōu
Traditionally eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, eight-treasure congee is less a recipe than a rule: eight things from the cupboard, cooked long and slow. My family's version always included red dates and peanuts because my grandmother said a New Year without them would be 'a plain year.'
Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen
Home-cooking research team
Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29
Ingredients
- glutinous (sweet) rice糯米🏮 asian100 g
- short-grain white rice短粒白米🛒 local60 g
- dried adzuki beans干红豆🏮 asian60 g
- raw peanuts, skin on带衣生花生🛒 local60 g
- dried red dates (jujube), pitted and halved干红枣，去核对半🏮 asian60 g
- dried lotus seeds干莲子🏮 asian40 g
- dried longan flesh桂圆肉🏮 asian30 g
- rock sugar冰糖🏮 asian40 g
- water清水🛒 local1.8 L
glutinous (sweet) rice: The base that makes the congee sticky and glossy
dried adzuki beans: Soak overnight or quick-soak before using
raw peanuts, skin on: Soak with the beans; they stay pleasantly firm after long cooking
dried red dates (jujube), pitted and halved: The main sweetener — buy pitted to save time
dried lotus seeds: Soak 1 hour; check for and remove any bitter green cores
dried longan flesh: Adds a deep raisin-like sweetness
rock sugar: Adjust to taste — the dates and longan already bring sweetness
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Instructions
1Soak adzuki beans, peanuts and lotus seeds in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain, and remove any green cores from the lotus seeds.
豆类莲子泡透
🔍 Look for Low heat 4 小时或过夜 · 4 hours or overnightVisual: 豆与莲子饱满、表皮光滑；花生涨大Beans and lotus seeds are plump and smooth-skinned; peanuts look swollen
You know it's right when: 莲子掰开断面干净，无干粉硬芯A lotus seed splits cleanly and shows no hard chalky centre
2Put beans, peanuts and lotus seeds in a heavy pot with 1.8 L water. Boil, then lower to medium-low and simmer 40 minutes.
硬料先煮40分
🔍 Look for Medium-low 40 分钟 · 40 minutesVisual: 豆皮裂开，水呈淡粉褐色Beans split their skins and the water turns faintly pink-brown
You know it's right when: 豆与莲子在锅壁都能轻松压碎A bean and a lotus seed both mash easily against the pot wall
3Rinse both rices and add them to the pot with the red dates and longan. Simmer 35 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes so nothing sticks.
米与果料后下
🔍 Look for Medium-low 35 分钟 · 35 minutesVisual: 米粒爆开，红枣涨起起皱，粥转玫瑰褐色Rice grains burst, dates plump up and wrinkle, and the porridge turns rosy brown
You know it's right when: 勺子刮底有阻力，勺痕缓慢回填Spoon dragged along the bottom meets resistance and the trail fills slowly
4Add rock sugar and stir 5 minutes until dissolved and the congee has thickened to a spoon-coating consistency.
冰糖后加
🔍 Look for Low heat 5 分钟 · 5 minutesVisual: 表面发亮，无糖粒反光Surface is glossy and no sugar crystals catch the light
You know it's right when: 勺子划过留下的沟槽约两秒才合拢A spoon drawn through leaves a channel that holds for about two seconds
5Turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook 10 minutes more, stirring often, until the congee is thick, jammy and uniform.
最小火收稠
🔍 Look for Low heat 10 分钟 · 10 minutesVisual: 粥呈深琥珀色，稠到勺子能短暂直立Porridge is deep amber, thick enough that a spoon stands briefly upright
You know it's right when: 气泡缓慢鼓起，搅拌时整体一起移动Bubbles plop slowly and the whole mass moves as one when stirred
6Rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving warm, or chill for a firmer, pudding-like bowl.
静置后更稠
🔍 Look for Low heat 10 分钟 · 10 minutesVisual: 表面结薄皮，红枣桂圆分布均匀未沉底A thin film forms on top; dates and longan sit evenly distributed, not sunk
You know it's right when: 舀起时能保持形状，不会摊平Spoon holds a shape when the congee is scooped, rather than spreading flat
Tips
- · There is no fixed list — eight means 'several'; use millet, barley, walnuts or raisins to fill gaps.
- · Stir more often as it thickens; the sugar makes it catch on the bottom fast.
- · Canned eight-treasure congee exists, but homemade has far better texture and half the sugar.
Sources & references
Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.
- Read our editorial policy
- Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
- USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
- Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records
Common questions
Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?
Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.
Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine
How do I make this vegetarian/vegan?
Swap meat for tofu, mushrooms (dried shiitake for umami), or seitan. Replace oyster sauce with mushroom sauce, chicken stock with veg stock, and watch for fish sauce and shrimp in sauces. Doubanjiang is vegetarian but check brands. Most of our recipes include a 'make it veg' note in the tips.
Source: HǎoWèi diet guide
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