{soups-salads-and-salad-dressings} Sam Gae Tang

Sam Gae Tang

Korean Stuffed Chicken Soup with Ginseng

Source : Naomi Imatome-Yun, Your About.com Guide to Korean Food

Korean Stuffed Chicken Soup with ginseng (Sam Gae Tang) is a delicious,
fragrant soup that is surprisingly easy to make.

In Korea, it is sometimes made as a restorative when people are sick or
weak like chicken soup is used in the West, but it's more traditionally
eaten and enjoyed during the summer months. Koreans like to drink hot
soup or stews during the summer months in an effort to fight the heat
with heat. Because ginseng and ginger are also "hot" spices according to
Chinese medicine, you will sweat and detox after drinking a hot bowl of
this soup on a summer day. The belief 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 sam gae tang.

Ingredients:

2 small whole chickens or Cornish hens
2 roots of dried ginseng, washed
7-8 chestnuts, peeled
9-10 red dried dates, rinsed
1/2 cup Korean sticky rice (chapsal), washed and drained
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 inch piece ginger, peeled and cut in half
9 cups water
2 chopped scallions for garnish
salt
pepper

Preparation:

Remove any innards from birds.
Rinse the inside and outside of the hens or small chickens.
Trim any visible fat off the chickens but don't trim skin needed to
cover stuffing in cavity.
Stuff the hens/chickens with the sweet rice, chestnuts and garlic.
Use toothpicks if you need some help to keep the stuffing in the birds.
In a large soup pot, add stuffed hens (or chickens), ginseng roots,
dates, and ginger.
Pour water to cover hens (or chickens).
Bring up to a boil.
Turn heat down to low simmer.
Cook about 1.5 - 2 hours or until the thigh bones come off easily.
Don't cook so long that the hens (or chickens) start to come apart.
They should stay intact.
Skim fat from time to time during cooking.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle with scallions to serve.

Serves 4


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