 | | ▲Make sure you choose the right pot to cook the Samgyetang in. Photography by Lori Lynn. |
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Whether you have exerted too much energy or sweat during the hot weather of Indian summer, or even just looking for a healthy dish, the right choice is with a Korean ginseng chicken soup, also known as samgyetang. It is a whole chicken stuffed with sweet rice, pine nuts and garlic. The broth is consisted of ginseng, ginger, red dates and gingko nuts – all known for its numerous health benefits such as restoring stamina, boosting the libido, improving the immune system, regulating body temperature and even aiding in memory. “Medicinal attributes aside, I instantly fell in love with this soup. I adore the presentation, where a whole chicken fits snugly into a pot surrounded with mysterious-looking vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Sweet, short-grained rice with pine nuts and garlic cooks inside the chicken, a technique I had never seen before,” said Lori Lynn. Special notes from Lori Lynn: “This recipe serves 2 people, generously. If two pound chickens are not readily available, cornish game hens or the more common 3 – 4 pound chickens can be substituted, adjusting the recipe accordingly.”
Ingredients:
• 2 lb. chicken, rinsed
• 1 c. short-grain rice
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 T. pine nuts
• chicken broth, at room-temperature
• 3- knob ginger, peeled
• 6 jujubes (korean red dates)
• 2 ginseng roots
• a dozen gingko nuts, shelled
• scallions, for serving
• and pepper
Instructions:
1. Soak rice in cold water for 20 minutes.
2. Drain the rice and combine with pine nuts and garlic to make the stuffing.
3. Stuff the chicken with the rice mixture then truss the chicken to ensure the rice stays inside the bird while cooking.
4. Choose a pot in which the chicken will fit snugly.
5. Place chicken in the pot and add chicken broth to almost fill the pot.
6. Cover and bring to a boil.
7. Skim off fat and any scum.
8. Once the broth is boiling – add jujubes, ginseng, gingko nuts, and ginger.
9. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 60 to 90 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is soft.
10. Serve the samgyetang in its cooking vessel.
11. To make the garnish, slice 3- long pieces of scallion very thin.
12. Place in a bowl of ice water until it curls.
13. Drain and place the onion on top of the chicken.
14. Serve salt, pepper, and sliced scallions on the side to season the bites of chicken as you eat.
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