Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup (Sangyetang)

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Start the rice soak about five hours before the intended meal. Rinse the 3 tbsp dry glutinous rice, then soak in clean water for 1 hour. Prepare steps 2–6 while it soaks; drain the rice just before stuffing in step 7.

   Soak glutinous rice · 60 minUses 3 tbsp dry Korean glutinous rice · Clean water, enough to rinse and soak the rice

2. 2

   Step 2: While the rice soaks, trim the whole chicken (1 large) as needed, removing the head, feet, tail, giblets and loose excess cavity fat while leaving the neck intact. Pat it dry with clean paper towels. Keep the chicken refrigerated until ready to stuff, and keep its board and utensils separate from the garnish.

   Uses 1 large whole chicken

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare six thin slices of ginger for the soup.

   Uses 6 thin slices ginger

4. 4

   Step 4: Peel the six garlic cloves and leave them whole. Clean the Korean ginseng root (1) as needed for cooking and keep it ready with the garlic.

   Uses 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole · 1 Korean ginseng root, preferably fresh · Clean water, for washing the optional spring onion and preparing the ginseng root

5. 5

   Step 5: If using the optional two spring-onion stalks, wash and cut them into small pieces. Keep the garnish clean and chilled until serving.

   Uses 2 spring-onion stalks, optional garnish · Clean water, for washing the optional spring onion and preparing the ginseng root

6. 6

   Step 6: Boil enough water in a kettle to cover the chicken in its cooking pot. Have extra water available to boil for later top-ups if needed.

   Uses Water, enough to cover the whole chicken, with extra for hot top-ups if needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Drain the soaked rice from step 1 and discard its soaking water. Stuff it into the chicken from step 2 together with the cleaned ginseng root and whole garlic from step 4. Stuff the bird only when ready to put it straight into the cooking pot.

   Uses Drained rice only; soaking water discarded · Trimmed whole chicken · Cleaned ginseng and peeled garlic, separate from washing water

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Secure the stuffed chicken cavity from step 7 with a food-safe skewer or toothpick. Remember to remove it before portioning the cooked chicken.

   Uses Chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng and garlic

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Place the secured stuffed chicken from step 8 in a suitable cooking pot. Add boiling water from step 6 until the whole bird is covered. Leave enough headroom for the soup to boil without overflowing.

   Uses Secured stuffed chicken · Boiling water, enough to cover the chicken

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the six ginger slices from step 3 and eight pitted red dates to the chicken pot from step 9.

    Uses Stuffed chicken covered with boiling water · Six prepared ginger slices · 8 pitted red dates

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Heat the chicken soup from step 10 over high heat until it boils, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer.

    Uses Chicken, rice filling, aromatics and soup water

12. 12

    Step 12: Simmer the pot from step 11 for about 4 hours, checking it throughout. If the water drops too far, boil extra water as in step 6 and add only enough to keep the chicken covered without overly diluting the soup. Cook until the chicken is very tender and the rice filling is fully cooked. Check with a food thermometer that the thickest breast and thigh, away from bone, and the center of the rice filling all reach at least 74°C.

    Check ginseng chicken soup · 240 minUses Gently simmering stuffed-chicken soup · Additional boiling water only if needed to keep the bird covered

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Taste the finished soup from step 12 and season with salt to taste.

    Uses Fully cooked ginseng chicken and rice soup · Salt, to taste at the end

14. 14

    Step 14: Remove the skewer or toothpick, portion the cooked chicken and its rice filling, and ladle the soup from step 13 into bowls. Add the prepared optional spring onion from step 5 if using and serve hot. The author gives six portions as a guide.

    Uses Seasoned cooked chicken, rice filling and soup · Chopped washed spring onion only