Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup
Introduction
In Korea [samgyetang/삼계탕] is typically eaten during the three hottest days of summer, called sambok/삼복. Korean ancestors used to think that because of the hot and humid weather, when you sweat a lot like in such heat wave fever night there would be lost energy so they cooked/heated this stamina food. Although commonly consumed during the summer, Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup is also loved in winter because it lends warmth and soothes your soul.
This homemade version has recently become a new favorite in my family. Not only is it a healthy and nutritious dish but also offers medicinal benefits.
Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup is prepared with a spring chicken which makes it very tender and delicious because ginseng is rubbed as seasoning. Its rich broth is what makes it such a Korean dish, drinking heat with more heat.
In the midst of summer, chobok (the first), jungbok (middle one) and malbok are days included in sambos that Koreans traditionally celebrate with this comfort food. Now is the time for foods that cleanse and combat the heat, but also protect us from it. A warm, nutritious soup suitable for either summer or winter season.
How to Make Samgyetang
Washing and Stuffing
When you are ready to start cooking samgyetang, wash the chicken under cold running water thoroughly. Do not forget to clean the cavity as well. Secondly, I fill the cavity with a sweet rice(also know as mochigome), ginseng root (split in half lengthwise ), garlic cloves(1or 2 depending on your personal preference) jujube(same sized handful of dried whole dates or more to taste), gingko nuts(one per chicken but be warned they look like eyeballs and may mentally awaken an aversion response )and chest nut(if you can find some). If necessary, tie the legs of the chicken with a cotton tie before tying up so that nothing escapes during cooking or make a slit at top part of thigh skin for stuffing.
Boiling Process
In a large pot, bring water to the boil over medium high heat partially covered and let it cook for around 20 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and then let it continue boiling until the chicken is fully cooked and all of the sweet rice inside are soft. Just remember, if it does get to the top some you have to skim that shit right off.
Serving Samgyetang
After cooking, transfer the chicken to a serving bowl with all its delectable broth. Top with fresh green onion. Have Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup with a small dish of salt-black pepper mixture for dipping chickens or adding to your soup. Serve with kimchi on the side for an authentic Korean meal!
Ingredients
BROTH
- 1.2 kg whole chicken if you can, try to use cornish chicken as the typically recommended chicken size for samgyetang is about 400 g / 0.9 pounds per serving. However, I couldn’t find it, so I just used the smallest whole chicken I could find.
- 1.5 liter water
STUFFING
- 1/4 cup sweet rice (mochi rice or sticky rice), soaked in water for 2 hours (this can be done overnight and kept in the fridge)
- 1 ginseng , dried or fresh Korean ginseng or American ginseng (I used 15 g of dried ginseng)
- 4 whole garlic cloves , peeled
- 5 dried jujube
- 4 ginkgo nuts (optional), peeled if not already
- 4 chest nuts (optional), fresh or frozen, peeled if not already
GARNISH & TO SERVE
- 1 Tbsp green onion , thinly sliced
- fine sea salt , to taste
- ground black pepper , to taste
Instruction
Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup is a Korean dish cooked using whole chicken and ginseng as ingredients.To make samgyetang, wash the chicken well in cold water so that there are no stains inside. Then, add glutinous rice in the abdominal cavity, and ginsengs into it. Do not forget to put whole chestnut(청릉), gingko seeds(Yalpyangchae), peeled garlic clovein this tummy area too as below photo.. Tie or make a small slit in the thigh skin to cross one leg through another securing it and preventing ingredients from falling out during cooking.
Cooking Process
Boil water in a vessel and put the lid on, let it cook for 20 minutes (trimmed leaves) Lower the heat to medium low and simmer until chicken is fully cooked, together with sweet rice. Before and during cooking, skim any foam that rises to the top surface for final presentation clarity)
Serving
On a side note, soak the rice and smash some garlic cloves while waiting for your chicken to cook. Finely chop the green onions, using some of the white parts for flavor as well. Wash the Cornish hens under cold water, inside and out removing any large amounts of fat so there will be space for the rice to expand in their cavities. Tie the legs with butcher’s twine or cross them and secure with a slit to tie, this prevents unraveling.
Simmering with fresh ginseng root and coarse green onions can deepen the herb simmered soup. Adjust the thickness of the broth by periodically ladling it over hens and allowing sticky rice to naturally thicken soup. Once done, transfer the Easy Homemade Samgyetang Soup into individual bowls (heated earthenware are preferred for a bubbling restaurant style presentation). Taste and adjust the seasoning with a sprinkle of salt, freshly ground black pepper, chopped green onions for fresh flavor.