STUFFED CHICKEN SOUP WITH GINGSENG
Samgyetang is a fragrant, gorgeous soup that is surprisingly easy to make. Just like chicken soup is a Western cold remedy and wintertime food, this soup is also a Korean restorative. But it’s more traditionally eaten and enjoyed during the summer months, as Koreans like to drink hot soup or stews in warm weather in an effort to fight the heat with heat. The theory behind this practice is that your body is better able to regulate itself and stay cool in the summer heat after being detoxed and rejuvenated by a bowl of samgyetang. Because of the medicinal properties of ginseng, some Korean mothers give this soup to their newlywed children. Dried red dates may be labeled in the grocery store as jujubes, Chinese dates, or Korean dates.
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 603kcal
Cost: $50
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Equipment
1 stove
Electric Cooker You can prepare this dish using an electric cooker if you're short on time.
Ingredients
- 2 small whole chickens or Cornish game hens
- 1/2 cup Korean sticky rice (chapsal), washed and drained
- 7 to 8 chestnuts, peeled
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 roots dried ginseng
- 8 to 10 dried red dates, rinsed
- 1/4 inch piece peeled ginger, cut in half
- 9 cups water
- salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 scallions, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Remove innards from the chickens and rinse, inside and out.
- Trim off any visible fat, but don’t trim any skin.
- Stuff the rice, chestnuts, and garlic into the body cavities. Use toothpicks if necessary to keep the stuffing inside.
- Put the stuffed birds in a large stockpot and add the ginseng roots, dates, and ginger. Pour the water over the top. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the thigh bones pull away easily, 1 to 11⁄2 hours. Don’t cook so long that the birds begin to come apart. They should stay intact.
- During cooking, occasionally skim the fat and foam from the surface of the water.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with the scallions.
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Notes
INGREDIENT TIP: At the grocery story, the sweet rice might be labeled “chapsal” or “glutinous rice.”
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
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This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the Spoonacular Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.