Chinese Food Culture and History
 
 
 
 

Ginseng Chicken Soup 人參雞湯 (ren-2 shen-1- ji-1 tang-1) Ginseng has been treasured by Chinese as a tonic for thousands of years. This dish is a tasty example of Chinese medicinal cooking.


 

 

Serves 7–8

Ingredients
2 kg (4 1/2 lb) whole chicken
30 g (1 oz) dried ginseng
1 cup clear rice wine (mijui)
1 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Rinse chicken inside and out.
  2. Put breast-side up in a large pot. Add enough water to cover chicken.
  3. Bring pot to boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Turn off flame. Skim off any scum on water. Let chicken steep for 90 minutes.
  5. Add ginseng, wine, salt and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  6. Serve directly in cooking pot so diners can help themselves: meat can easily be prised away from carcass with chopsticks, and soup ladled into individual bowls.

Read more about ginseng: Ginseng, the Divine Root (book review)

 
   

 

 
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