COURGETTE, RICE AND ROSEMARY CONGEE

 
 

I’ve been eating courgettes all summer — thinly sliced, pan-fried or barbecued, then tossed in herby oils. But with the last of the season’s crop (plus one I missed that’s turned into a full-blown marrow), I was craving something a little different.

Now that the cold autumn winds and long nights are setting in – and with the official Autumn Equinox landing this Monday the 22nd – I wanted something to balance the cold, flighty, dry Vata energy of the season. A dish to gently prep both body and mind for the colder months ahead.

I took inspiration from a Greek courgette and rice soup – super simple: long-cooked rice with aromatics like rosemary, onion and garlic in a soothing broth. I added plenty of grated courgette, then finished it with a splash of lemon and olive oil. Instead of yoghurt and mint (which would root it firmly in summer), I stirred in lots of black peppercorns, a pinch of ginger powder, and topped it with warming parsley.

In a world full of explosively flavoured food, this one is more of a gentle in-betweener – just what the doctor ordered. A savoury, non-offensive hug in a bowl that even my children lapped up.

I also threw in some mung beans – because why not? That way we get all the essential amino acids needed to create a complete protein, and the dish gets heartier. No need for bread. And any lentil naysayers won’t even notice –  they melt into the soup along with the lashings of grated courgette to make a thick congee-style soup.

It’s not the prettiest dish – quite beige, in fact – so a sprinkle of parsley adds some visual appeal. That said, the lack of visible greens might make it less intimidating for anyone veggie-shy… unless you leave the courgette skin on (which I didn’t – marrow skin is tough).

This recipe is as easy as it gets. The kind of thing my mum calls “boil-boil soup” – no sautéing or sweating needed. Just stick everything into the pot, give it a pat, and let it cook long and slow until it melts in your mouth.

METHOD

  1. Rinse the rice and dal and add to a large pot with the onion, garlic, rosemary, peppercorns, ginger, stock cubes and water, cover and bring to the boil.

  2. Skim off any foam from the top, pop the lid back on and reduce heat to a simmer for 40 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, peel and grate the courgettes or marrow, removing any fibrous or seedy parts of the marrow if using. Add to the pot once the rice and dal is completely tender and cook for another 10 mins until the courgette has cooked through.

  4. Add the 1 tsp of sea salt, zest and juice of one lemon and stir in thoroughly

  5. Check the taste, adjust the seasoning and add more water if you want a soupier congee.

  6. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and plenty of freshly ground black pepper

INGREDIENTS 

Serves 6

1 cup rice - I used basmati or sona masoori

½ cup mung dal

1 brown/white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 large rosemary sprig, or more if you like the flavour

2 litres of water plus 2 tbs of bouillon or 2 stock cubes.

3 courgettes or a marrow, about 950g. peeled if the skin is tough and grated

5 black peppercorns or long pepper, plus freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tsp of ginger powder/ground ginger

1 tsp of sea salt, plus more to taste

Lemon zest and lemon juice to taste

Fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped and extra virgin olive oil to finish

East by West tip: For summer version of course go back to the Greek classic of a dollop of yogurt and plenty of fresh mint to garnish, lovely and cooling.

Jasmine Hemsley