Samgyetang (Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup)

Ingredients

• 1 Whole young chicken (Cornish game hen, about 1.5 lbs)
• 0.25 cup Glutinous rice (sweet rice), soaked for 1 hour
• 1 piece Fresh ginseng root, washed
• 4 Dried jujubes (red dates)
• 6 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 Ginkgo nuts (optional)
• 2 stalks Green onions, chopped
• 6 cups Water
• to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. Wash and drain the glutinous rice after soaking it for at least 1 hour.
2. Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing any remaining giblets and excess fat from the tail and cavity area. Rinse and pat dry.
3. Stuff the chicken cavity with the soaked glutinous rice, ginseng root, jujubes, garlic cloves, and ginkgo nuts.
4. Cross the chicken legs and tie them securely with kitchen twine, or make a small slit in one skin flap near the cavity and tuck the opposite leg through to seal the ingredients inside.
5. Place the stuffed chicken in a large, heavy pot. Pour in the water, making sure it covers most of the chicken.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam or fat that rises to the surface.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 50 to 60 minutes until the chicken is incredibly tender and the rice inside is fully cooked.
8. Ladle the hot soup and chicken into a large serving bowl. Garnish generously with chopped green onions. Serve hot with small side dishes of salt and pepper for dipping the chicken meat.