Chicken Gizzard Lining & Chinese Yam Congee (Ji Nei Jin Shanyao Zhou)

Main Ingredients

• Chicken gizzard lining (Ji Nei Jin) 5-6g
• Chinese yam 20-30g
• Japonica rice 100g
• White sugar or rock sugar to taste
• Dried tangerine peel 3g
• Amomum fruit (Sha Ren) 2g

Steps

1. Take 5-6g of chicken gizzard lining and stir-fry over low heat until yellow-brown, then grind into fine powder. Note: Roasting enhances the digestion-promoting effect and removes any gamey odor. If using pre-roasted gizzard lining, grind directly. Wear gloves to peel 20-30g of Chinese yam (or 50-100g fresh yam) to prevent skin irritation from the mucilage. Cut into small pieces or thin slices and immediately place in clean water to prevent oxidation. Rinse 100g of japonica rice. Soak for 30 minutes for a creamier texture.

   

2. Place the rice in a clay pot or regular pot with about 800-1000ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover with a small gap, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the rice has bloomed.

   

3. Remove the yam from the water and add to the pot. Continue simmering over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the yam is tender and the congee is thickening.

   

4. When the congee is cooked but still slightly thin, slowly add the gizzard lining powder while stirring to prevent clumping. Boil for 1-2 more minutes. Note: Do not overcook the powder—prolonged cooking destroys the active compounds (gastric hormones, amylase, etc.) and reduces its digestive benefits.

   

5. Add white sugar or rock sugar to taste (if using 3g dried tangerine peel and 2g Sha Ren, grind them into powder and add together with the gizzard lining powder). Stir well. Consume warm, once daily for 3-5 consecutive days as one course. Avoid consuming on an empty stomach—best after meals or between meals.

   

TCM Notes

Chicken Gizzard Lining (Ji Nei Jin): Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Spleen, Stomach, Small Intestine, and Bladder meridians. Known for strengthening the stomach, promoting digestion, astringing essence, stopping enuresis, and treating urinary calculi. Modern research shows it contains gastric hormones, keratin, amylase, various vitamins, and trace elements, with effects of enhancing gastric motility, increasing pepsin and pancreatic lipase activity, and strengthening bladder sphincter contraction. After consumption, it increases gastric juice secretion and enhances gastric motility, thereby slowly strengthening digestive capacity and accelerating gastric emptying. Recommended daily dosage: 3-10g. Chinese Yam: Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians. Known for strengthening the spleen, benefiting the stomach, nourishing the kidneys, and boosting qi. Rich in mucilage protein, amylase, polyphenol oxidase, saponins, vitamin C, and minerals including potassium and magnesium. Mucilage protein protects the gastric mucosa, and amylase aids starch digestion. Combined with chicken gizzard lining, one promotes digestion while the other tonifies—promoting digestion without harming the spleen, and tonifying the spleen without retaining stagnation. Japonica Rice: Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. Known for tonifying the middle, boosting qi, and strengthening the spleen and stomach, enhancing the tonic effects of chicken gizzard lining and Chinese yam while ensuring the digestion-promoting action does not harm the body's integrity. Synergistic Effect: Chicken gizzard lining strengthens the stomach, promotes digestion, and resolves accumulations; Chinese yam strengthens the spleen, benefits the stomach, and nourishes the kidneys; japonica rice tonifies the middle and strengthens the spleen. One promotes digestion, one tonifies, one nourishes—promoting digestion without harming the spleen and stomach, and strengthening the spleen without retaining stagnation. Total approx. 350-400 kcal, primarily carbohydrates—a low-fat, digestion-promoting, spleen-strengthening medicinal congee.

Suitable for：Those with weak spleen, poor appetite, and indigestion Those with food stagnation, abdominal fullness, and undigested food Children with pediatric malnutrition, anorexia, and sallow complexion Those with vomiting, diarrhea, and weak spleen and stomach Those with enuresis and spermatorrhea Those with biliary or urinary tract stones (adjunctive support) Those in post-illness recovery needing spleen-strengthening and stomach-nourishing support General population for daily stomach-strengthening, digestion-promoting, and digestive support

Not suitable for：Those with spleen deficiency but no food stagnation – chicken gizzard lining is a digestion-promoting and accumulation-resolving substance; long-term use may deplete vital qi Pregnant women – chicken gizzard lining has a dredging nature; pregnant women should use with caution Avoid consuming on an empty stomach – may cause gastrointestinal discomfort; best consumed after meals or between meals Avoid consuming with persimmon – tannic acid in persimmon may bind with proteins in chicken gizzard lining, affecting digestion and absorption Those allergic to chicken gizzard lining or Chinese yam Those with constipation – Chinese yam has astringent properties; those with dry hard stools should not consume much Infants and young children – when giving to children, it is best to do so under medical guidance