- Smagyetang (Chicken Ginseng Soup)

Koreans eat Samgyetang (“Chicken Ginseng Soup”) during the hottest months of summer because it enhances virility. It is easy to make anywhere with all of the necessary ingredients. Special ingredients, such as insam and jujubes (Chinese dried dates) are important for taste and appearance.

[Ingridents]

1 whole, small chicken, 1 insam root, 1/3 cup glutinous rice, 3 dates, 4 chestnuts, 6 cloves of garlic, a small piece of ginger, half sliced onion, 1 bunch of scallions, salt, ground pepper

[Directions]

1 Cut the abdomen of the chicken lengthwise. Remove the organs, tip of the wings and neck optional, but leave the body whole.

2 Wash the glutinous rice, and soak it for about an hour. Wash and prepare the dates and chestnuts for cooking.

3 Stuff the soaked glutinous rice along with the cloves of garlic into the chicken. Sew the ends to keep the rice inside the chicken. Cross the legs, and tie them with string.

4 Place the chicken in a pot and pour in about 4 cups of water. Place the insam root, chestnuts, dates, ginger, onions and scallions in the pot and cook under medium heat for about 40 minutes.

5 When the ingredients inside the chicken are fully cooked, remove the scallions, onions, and ginger. Finish by seasoning the broth with salt and pepper.

6 Serve unseasoned—You can add salt and pepper to your preference, but some cooks add salt immediately before serving.