HERBAL CHICKEN SOUP

Occasionally, I will crave to have a bowl of hot herbal soup.  The fragrance of the Chinese herbs can sometimes be irresistible though it may taste a little bitter.  Anyway, this is a light herbal soup great to serve with hot steaming rice.

 Ingredients

450 gm  free range chicken - skin removed, cut bite size pieces - blanched and rinsed

8 red dates

2 slices huai san

6-7 strips yuzhuk

1 tbsp kei chee [wolfberries]

5-6 sections of tong sum

4-5 sections of pak kei

4-5 sections of dang quai

800 ml water

salt and chicken stock granules to taste

 

 

1.  Place tong sum, pak kei and dang quai in a spice bag.  Secured with a string.
2. Bring water to boil, add in herbs' bag, huai san, red dates and yuzhuk.  Boil for 15-20 minutes then add in blanched chicken'.
3. Add in blanched chicken pieces.  Bring to boil again, then add in kei chee,  simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and soup aromatic.
4. Season with some salt and chicken granules to taste.
5. Serve hot with steaming hot rice.

 

 

EZCR#91 - PORK RIBS SOK TEI SOUP

A nourishing herbal soup using Shu Di [Chinese Foxglove Root], known to treat a range of conditions related to women's health.  For details about this herb, please visit here].  

Shu Di [Chinese Foxglove Root]

This herbal soup looks dark but it isn't as bitter in taste as other Chinese herbal soup. 

Ingredients

300 gm meaty pork ribs - cut chunky pieces

2 pieces shu di [Chinese Foxglove Root]

1 piece dong quai

6 red dates

3 slices ginger

1 tbsp goji

750 ml water

Seasoning

1 tbsp wine

light soy sauce to taste

1. Blanch pork ribs in boiling water to remove scums.  Rinsed.
2. Bring water to boil,  Add in all the ingredients, bring to boil then simmer until soup is fragrant and pork ribs are tender.
3. Add in seasoning to taste.
4. Serve hot.
   
   
   
   

EZCR#74 - BRAISED SHAOXING WINE CHICKEN

I prepared this dish at the right time.  This soupy dish is nutritious and good during the cold weather.  It has been running often during the first week of September and this wine flavoured dish with some herbs, in a way helps to keep our body warm.  No wonder, I could sleep well through the night after having it for dinner.

The chicken meat is tasty and the soup is thick.  It not only has the aroma of the wine but also has the strong taste of it.  The combination of all the ingredients make it so good.  It is awesome.  You can serve this with rice or just add some glass noodles/mee suah or vegetables to enjoy as a One Dish Meal.  I really wouldn't mind having just this again with some noodles and vegetables.

Recipe adapted from Chinese TV Cook Show with modifications.

Ingredients

[serves 2-3]

2 chicken whole leg - deboned with skin, cut bite size pieces

3 dried mushrooms - soaked and cut halve

some fresh mushrooms of your choice

10 slices of ginger

2 slices Dong Quai

6 red dates

1 tbsp goji [wolfberries]
200 ml water

Seasoning

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine + 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

2 tbsp light soy sauce

dash of msg or 1/4 tsp sugar

salt to taste

1. Heat wok with 1 tbsp oil, saute ginger slices until brown.
2. Add in chicken pieces and leave to fry until brown on the skin side, add in mushrooms.  Fry until aromatic.
3. Add in herbs, red dates and seasoning.  Stir well to mix before adding water.
4. Bring to a rolling boil for several minutes, then add in goji.
5. Braise until water is reduced and slightly concentrated.
6. Taste to adjust seasoning.  Lastly add in extra 2 tablespoons of wine.
7. Dish up to serve in a soup bowl or claypot.
   
   
   
   
   

STEAMED HERBAL CHICKEN LEGS

A simple yet tasty, aromatic, flavourful steamed chicken dish with some herbs.  This should be considered a healthy dish suitable for the young and old.  
The concentrated juices of the chicken flavoured with red dates and herbs are at the base of the parcel.  Steamed to perfect the chicken meat is tender and juicy sweet.

Recipe Source - original recipe from Delicious Chicken by MPH Books

Ingredients 

[serves 3]

2-3 chicken thighs - fats removed but keep the skin

1 tbsp ginger juice

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp pepper

salt and sugar to taste

5 slices of Chuanxiong

10 red dates

1 tbsp Chinese Wolfberries [kei chee]
2 sheets of aluminium foil

1. Rinse the chicken thighs and marinate with seasonings for at least 4 hours.
2. Rinse the herbs and drain excess water.  Set aside.
3. Place aluminium foil flat and place the herbs evenly followed by the marinated chicken thighs.  Wrap it up.
4. Put chicken parcel onto a wok and steam over high heat until water has dried up [about 20 minutes] or steam in a steamer for 30 minutes over high heat or until chicken  is cooked through.  Do not overlap the chicken whole legs as this may result in uneven cooking of the chicken.
5. Remove and unwrap on serving platter. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.
6. Serve immediately with rice.
   
   
   

EZCR#68 - TIAN MA HERBAL PORK RIB SOUP

This herbal soup recipe was shared by a Chinese chef on TV cook show.  The actual portion of ingredients were not specifically given but I managed to jot down while watching it.

It is a tasty herbal soup suitable for cold season.  Tian Ma is said to be good for the brain and energise the body, while the sok tei is beneficial for kidney.  The other ingredients like fresh cordyceps and gingko nuts each has its own nutritional benefits.

Ingredients

1 large piece Tian Ma

1 piece dong quai

1 piece sok tei

1 tbsp Goji seeds
a handful of fresh cordyceps [optional]

6-7 red dates

a few slices of ginger

300 gm meaty pork ribs - washed and blanched

a handul of Gingko nuts - optional

800 ml water

Seasoning

1 tbsp each wine and light soy sauce

1/4 tsp salt to taste

1. Rinse the herbs well.  Bring water to boil is a soup pot for 10 minutes, add in blanched meaty ribs.  Bring to boil for 20 minutes or until ribs are almost tender.
2. Add in dates and Goji seeds and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
3. Serve hot.
   
   
   
   

DRIED FIGS, YOKE CHOK CHICKEN SOUP

This is an easy and simple herbal soup which is soothing for the body.  A rather quick cook soup than that with various herbs which requires long simmering time to bring out the flavours.  This one requires the soup to be boiled for 5 minutes, then simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.

It is a clear soup that is sweet and fulfilling and not oily with the skin removed.  Lovely soup to go with rice.

What is Yoke Chok? - This is a yellowish root that usually comes in silvers.  It is said that Buddhist priests use it for its anaphrodisiac properties.  Also reputedly good for treatment of pancreas, lungs and throat ailments.

Recipe adapted from my selected cookbook for this month's Cookbook Countdown Event#6 - Home Cooking June 2001 issue [with modifications]

Ingredients

1/2 a chicken or 2 piece chicken whole legs - skinned and cut bite size pieces

5 pieces dried figs

10 strips of yoke chok

3-4 red dates

1 litre water

1/2 tsp salt to taste

1. Blanch chicken in boiling water for several seconds.  Drained and rinsed.
2. Bring water, dates and herbs to boil in a soup pot or claypot for 5-10 minutes before adding the chicken.
3. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.  Serve hot.
4. You may simmer the soup for longer time to get a more concentrated soup as a result of evaporation. 

I am sharing this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray