Thursday 16 March 2006

Dang Gui Chicken Soup

Asian Chinese love to nourish their bodies with medicinal food but before you starts with any of these herbal soup or dish you have to know what you body is lack with. Just like our body is divided into Yin and Yang and where Yin further sub-divide into weak spirit, weak blood, infirm and nutritionally weak. For example: in cold season we need warm supplement food; summer and autumn require cooling stuffs to reduce body heat so we had to select the right supplement at the correct time or else it could backfire our health.


And also as women who gets menstruation once a month, we had to prepare some nourishing soup at least once or twice in a month after the menstruation to help building up our body supplements due to lost of blood. And “Dang Gui, Huai Shan Chicken Soup (当归淮山鸡汤” is one of those recommended by my Chinese Physician.

According to her:
Dang Gui (当归):
- benefits and balances the blood, regulates menses, treats pain and soothes the intestines.

Huai Shan (淮山):
- strengthens spleen and supplements lungs, stabilized kidneys and benefits energy, it also improves weak spleen and stomach, weak lungs and long coughing, uplifts the spirit and benefits Qi.

Dang Shen (当参):
- supplements energy and benefits sprits, grows saliva ad stops thirst. It also strengthens body and stomach, improves fatigue and tiredness, dry mouth and tongue.

Bei Qi (北耆):
- strengthens the heat, promotes urination, lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system.

Ingredients:
3-4 Chicken Drumsticks, skin removed
1 Medium Size Fresh Huai Shan (淮山)
4 Slices Of DangGui (当归)
6 Red Dates (红枣), seeds removed
3 Pieces Of BiQi (北耆), cut into half
3 Pieces of Dang Shen (当参), cut into half
1 Tablespoon Of QiZi (杞子)

Methods:
1. Trim and remove the skin of the chicken drumstick, blanch in boiling water, rinse and set aside. .
2. Wash and peel the outer skin of fresh huai shan then cut it into 2” sections.
3. Bring 1.5 litre of water to boil, rinse the herbs and add it into the water together with the rest of the ingredients. 
4. When the mixture comes to boil again, transfer to slow cooker and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours or you can simmer on the stove over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour.

Notes:
- If you don't have fresh huai shan, you can replaced it with about 5 pieces of dried huai shan.

9 comments:

  1. Where do you get fresh huai shan from? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there, I got those Fresh Huai Shan from wet market those vegetable stall or most supermarket also have... HTH

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Ellena,

    is this soup suitable for family consumption or is best for women only?Where did u learn so many herbs?In the past,I used to buy those pre-pack herbal soups fm medical hall but now,I can match my own herbs to cook using your recipes.Really thanks for your kind sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi chua_family..., may i know what's your name instead? Hope you don't mind cos it's easier to address you in.... :)

    This soup is actually suitable for everyone in the family cos it's helps to improve blood circulation and Qi. But it's kind of heaty due to the red dates and dang gui, so maybe once or twice a month will do. HTH

    In the past, i don't really like to drink herbal soup becos of it taste. Then later i learn from friends and book and i found that there is a lot of usage in every herbs. So i decided to mix and match and try those soup and it came out just nice for the family. I am glad that your family like it too... :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dang Gui cannot be consumed by men. I boiled this dang gui soup incorrectly for myself (male) and developed a very high fever and dry throat from it and fell very very sick. Dang Gui is to be consumed only by menstruating women.

    ReplyDelete
  6. actually, both of anonymous's statements are untrue. I don't know why he developed a fever after eating it, but dang gui is perfectly safe for men. I have been taking formulas containing it for years and have never had any problems. additionally, women are supposed to take dang gui prior to menstruation, not while menstruating.

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  7. Hey Ellena, I have no idea why I only chance upon your blog now! I love to cook too but of course I am a far cry from you. The soup recipe you've posted in your blog tasted really good & it resembles my mom's recipe too but my mom is too lazy to document them down and I am so glad that I've see something similar in your blog :) Thanks! ~ GK

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  8. Hi ellena. If I'm doing this for just one pax . What's the portion liked ? Elly -

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Elly,

      For 1 pax, you could go for this :)

      2 Chicken Drumsticks, skin removed
      50 - 80g Fresh Huai Shan(淮山)
      2 Slices Of DangGui(当归)
      2-3 Red Dates(红枣), seeds removed
      1 Pieces Of BiQi(北耆), cut into half
      1 - 2 Pieces of Dang Shen(当参), cut into half
      1/2 Tablespoon Of QiZi(杞子)

      HTH :)

      Delete

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Regards
Ellena (Cuisine Paradise)

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