Qi and Blood Nourishment: Ginseng Black Chicken Soup Recipe
Hello everyone! Today I want to share with you a traditional nourishing delicacy—Ginseng Black Chicken Soup. This soup is not only delicious but also has excellent effects in nourishing qi and blood, making it particularly suitable for those with physical weakness and insufficient qi and blood.
Ingredients Background
Black Chicken, also known as “Silkie Chicken”, is a special breed of chicken with black feathers, skin, and bones. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers black chicken to be neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with the ability to nourish the kidneys, enrich the blood, and replenish qi, making it especially suitable for women.
Ginseng is known as the “King of Herbs” and is a precious medicinal material that has the effects of greatly replenishing original qi and stabilizing the pulse. In traditional Chinese culture, ginseng has always been regarded as a valuable tonic, with ancient texts recording its miraculous effects of “prolonging life and maintaining health with long-term use”.
When these two ingredients are combined, they complement each other, resulting in a soup that is not only flavorful but also nourishing without being overly warming, making it a rare health tonic.
Ingredient Preparation
Main Ingredients:
- 1 Black Chicken (approximately 1.2-1.5 kg)
- 15-20 grams of Ginseng (5-10 grams if using wild ginseng)
Additional Ingredients:
- 15 grams of Goji Berries
- 8-10 Red Dates
- 4-5 slices of Ginger
- 2 sections of Green Onion
- 2 tablespoons of Cooking Wine
- Salt to taste
Cooking Steps
1. Preparing the Black Chicken
First, thoroughly clean the black chicken, removing the internal organs and excess fat. Make a few cuts on the chicken to help it absorb the flavors.
Some people prefer to blanch the black chicken to remove the gamey taste, but I suggest skipping this step to retain more nutrients. If you are concerned about the gamey flavor, you can use cooking wine and ginger slices to eliminate it.
2. Preparing the Ginseng
If you are using dried ginseng, soak it in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften it. Then slice it thinly to facilitate the release of its active components.
Wild ginseng is expensive; if your budget is limited, you can opt for more affordable cultivated ginseng or American ginseng, which also works well.
3. Cooking Process
Place the prepared black chicken into a clay pot, add the ginseng slices, ginger slices, green onion, and cooking wine.
Add 2000 milliliters of water (enough to cover the chicken by about 2 cm), cover the pot, and first bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat to simmer.
Key Timing: Simmer on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until the chicken becomes very tender and the soup turns a milky white color. This time should not be too short, or the chicken will not be tender enough; nor too long, to avoid excessive nutrient loss.
In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the red dates and goji berries, and continue to simmer on low heat.
4. Seasoning and Tasting
Once the soup is ready, add an appropriate amount of salt for seasoning 5 minutes before turning off the heat. I personally recommend not adding too much salt to avoid masking the original flavors of the ingredients.
Serve in bowls, garnished with some fresh chopped green onions for added color and flavor.
Tasting Experience
A good bowl of ginseng black chicken soup should have a milky white to slightly yellow color, with a hint of ginseng aroma. Taking a sip, you first experience the deliciousness of the chicken soup, followed by the unique slightly bitter and sweet aftertaste of ginseng.
The meat of the black chicken is firm yet tender, having absorbed the essence of the soup, melting in your mouth. The red dates and goji berries add a touch of natural sweetness, balancing the slight bitterness of the ginseng.
Consumption Recommendations
While ginseng black chicken soup is beneficial, it should not be consumed in excess. It is generally recommended to eat it 1-2 times a week, with each serving not being too large.
It is particularly suitable for those with weak constitutions, postpartum recovery, and during surgical recovery. However, individuals with high blood pressure and those with a hot constitution should consume ginseng with caution, possibly reducing the amount or opting for American ginseng instead.
Cultural Significance
Ginseng black chicken soup holds an important place in traditional Chinese dietary therapy. In ancient palaces, this soup was often regarded as a nourishing delicacy bestowed upon ministers or concubines.
In folk culture, it is also an important component of traditional postpartum meals, viewed as an excellent tonic for recovery after childbirth. This method of dietary therapy reflects the wisdom of the Chinese dietary culture of “food and medicine share the same source“, using daily food to regulate the body.
Food enthusiasts, why not take some time on the weekend to prepare a pot of ginseng black chicken soup for your family? You can enjoy the deliciousness while experiencing the charm of traditional culture!