Sam Gye Tang (Korean Chicken and Ginseng Soup

삼계탕

Samgyetang is a variety of guk or Korean soup made with whole young chicken, Korean ginseng, and several other ingredients.

Samgyetang is considered to be a very healthy food and is most often consumed in the summer as a restorative to replace stamina and nutrients which are lost through heat and sweat.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Procedure

Preparation

Put rice in a bowl and rinse until water runs clear. Cover with water and soak for 1/2 hour. Drain.

Clean poultry inside and out (use or discard gizzards and liver as you wish).

Lightly salt (rub) both the inside and outside, and let stand for fifteen minutes.

Wash ginseng root then trim the rootlets (do not discard, save for soup). Cut into bite size pieces.

Slice onion, then cut slices in half

Wash and thin slice the ginger.

Put all stuffing ingredients into the cavity (Divide stuffing evenly if using 2 game hens), and close flaps over the cavity (sew with thread or use a skewer).

Cooking

Place poultry in a heavy pot and cover with water.

Bring to a full boil over high heat, skimming oil and foam as needed.

Reduce heat to medium, add ginger slices, cover and cook for one hour.

Remove and discard ginger, then add garlic, jujubes, and ginseng rootlets.

Cook for an additional thirty minutes, adding water as needed to maintain 1/2 the original volume.

Add sesame oil five minutes before end of cooking.

Fine chop the scallions/green onions and garnish each serving.

Serve hot, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Source

Author: Hannaone

Web Page: http://www.hannaone.com/Recipe

Properties of ingredients:

The health properties of the ingredients in Samgyetang are complimentary.

Chicken

Nature : Warm

Taste : Sweet

Acts on Organ : Spleen, Stomach

Healing Effects : Benefit qi and blood; warm the middle region; alleviate fatigue; improve memory; nourish semen; increase milk secretion of lactating mothers.

Jujubes

Nature : Warm

Taste : Sweet

Acts on Organ : Spleen, Stomach

Healing Effects : Blood and energy tonic; produce fluids; relieve weakness after childbirth or sickness; relieve insomnia; treat abdominal pain; treat anemia.

Garlic

Nature : Warm

Taste : Sweet

Acts on Organ : Spleen, Stomach, Lungs

Healing Effects : Promote energy circulation; treat TB; prevent flu or cold; stop diarrhea; counteract toxic effects; lower cholesterol; controls blood pressure; combat cancer; kill bacteria; fight fungus.

Garlic is a flavor essential and a health superstar in its own right. It contains more than 70 active phytochemicals, including allicin, which studies show may decrease high blood pressure by as much as 30 points. Studies conducted by Western Medical Science have shown that high consumption of garlic may lower rates of ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers, fights infection and bacteria, and may reduce the chance of catching the common cold.

Ginseng (Superior Herb)

Nature: Warm

Taste: sweet, slightly bitter

Acts on: spleen, lungs.

Characteristics: The fleshy roots of a perennial herb. They come in white and red varieties and the red ones are more potent and more expensive. Ginseng is a superior herb that has long been considered as the King of herbs.

Therapeutic effects: Invigorate vital energy, spleen energy and lung energy; promote production of vital fluid and balance hormones; calm the mind, anti-fatigue and anti-stress; enhance immune response; improve circulation and function; regulate blood pressure and blood sugar; anti-tumor and anti-cancer; stimulate liver functions; regulate central nervous system; anti-aging; antioxidant.

Ginseng should not be taken while having cold, flu or lung infections.

American ginseng promote vital fluid, increase energy, cooling yang and tonify yin. Suitable for treating lung cancer and side effects of chemotherapy.

Wellthy Cooking Academy (formerly Foods-n-Herbs)