Samgyetang - Ginseng Chicken Soup with Rice and Chestnut Stuffings

Ginseng is one of Korea's most famous products which encompassing goodness as a booster for the immune system. As a source of energy and vitality, it promotes longevity and increases libido. There are different grades of ginseng and the top grade being the wild Korean ginseng which is considered to be the best whereas the fresh cream-coloured roots are blended for drinks and used for cooking.

Samgyetang(삼계탕/参鸡汤), a Korean style chicken soup which consists of a whole young chicken and Korean Ginseng. In Korean culture, it is believed that this soup can prevent illness and it is traditionally served in the summer for its supposed nutrients, which replaces those lost through excessive sweating and physical exertion during the hot summers in Korea.

GINSENG CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE STUFFING

Samgyetang(삼계탕)

I still remember vividly, Andy our Korean tour-guide mentioned to us that this Samgyetang(삼계탕) or “ginseng chicken soup” is one of their popular dish in Korea. And during the 3 hottest days of the year in Summer which they called "bok days(복날)" according to the Lunar Calendar, people would take a break, feast on foods to replenish their strength and stamina. So this Samgyetang(삼계탕) becomes one of their popular choices to strengthen their body.

(Serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 60 minutes)

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken, about 800g - 1kg
3 - 4 Pieces Finger-thick Fresh or Dried Ginseng Roots, washed
4 Red Dates
2 Thin Slices of Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic, washed and lightly pound
2 Stalks Spring Onion, washed
Extra Chestnut and Gingko Nut, 4 each(optional)

Stuffing:
1/2 Cup(100g) Glutinous Rice, rinse and soaked for 30 minutes
4 Red Dates
4 Fresh Chestnuts, shell and skin removed
4 Fresh Ginkgo Nuts, shell and skin removed
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Method:-

1. Clean and rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Meanwhile drain the soaked glutinous rice and combine with the rest of the stuffing ingredients. 

2. First using one or two red dates to block the opening from the chicken neck area in order to prevent the stuffing from oozing out during simmering. Next stuff the rice mixture into the chicken.(remember not to pack the mixture too tightly as it will swell during cooking)

3. When done, close the cavity of the chicken by threading a skewer/toothpick or using portion of the ginseng root/red dates to block the opening.

4. Place chicken in a soup pot/claypot large enough to hold the chicken, add in enough water to cover the chicken then scatter in remaining ingredients (ginseng roots, garlic, ginger, red dates, extra ginkgo nuts and chestnut) and bring it to boil.

5. Skim off the white foam, cover and low the heat and simmer gently for about 50 - 60 minutes(turning the chicken once/twice).

6. To serve,remove the chicken from the pot and cut into halves or quarters in small bowls, ladle some ginseng soup over it and garnish with some ground black pepper and chopped spring onion.

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NOTE:-

~ You can replaced whole Ginseng with 2 - 3 Tablespoons dried ginseng shavings or ginseng roots.

If you compare this recipe with the previous Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup(参鸡汤) recipe which I have shared sometime back, you would notice this recipe above is similar to the euthenics Samgyetang which consists of ginseng roots, chestuts, ginko nuts, garlic and glutinous rice.

We can never get tired of this fragrant and delicious Ginseng Chicken Soup which could also act as one-pot dish due to it's ingredients.

Rosemary Honey Chicken Drumlets

There are many ways you can enjoy honey either on it's own, mix it with water or juice, drizzle on fruits and pancakes or use it for baking cake or savoury food. No matter which method you prefer, a daily dose of honey in whichever way is good to boost the body's supply of antioxidants which is therefore essential for protecting against free radicals.

In my last related honey post, I have shared a "Honey Lemonade" recipe which is good for flushing out your body system and gives it a boost to increase your daily energy. And in this post, I will be sharing another finger licking recipe using honey to enhance it taste and colours.

ROSEMARY HONEY CHICKEN DRUMLETS

If drumlets is not your preference you can always replace it with mid-joints or even chicken maryland for a hearty serving portion together with some mashed potato or garden salad to complete the meal.

(Serves: 2-3 |      Preparation: 5 minutes |         Cooking: 30 - 40 minutes)

Ingredients:
10 - 12 Chicken Drumlets
1 Tablespoon Honey Sheep Lemon West Coast Honey
1/2 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Cooking Wine
1/2 Teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Sprigs Rosemary, remove leaves and roughly chopped

Method:-

1. Trim the bone end of each chicken drumlets, remove skin around the bone and push the down the flesh to the head of the drumlet to form a cluster.

2. Marinate the drumlets with honey, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, pepper and rosemary leaves. Set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

3. Line baking tray with baking paper or aluminum foil, arrange marinated chicken drumlets(remove from the fridge 10 - 15 minuets before cooking)on it and bake in oven toaster for about 30 minutes(flipping the drumlets two to three time during cooking to even the brown colours)

ALTERNATIVELY:-

~ Bake in a preheated 200° Celsius(400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven for about 30 - 40 minutes or till cooked through.

4. Next brush chicken drumlets with some extra honey lemon during the last 5 minutes of cooking time to enhance the colour and flavour of the drumlets.

5. When done, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Personally I love this hassle free recipe which consists of light fruity flavors of lemon with fresh herbs and honey which makes it an refreshing starter for parties or even main dish. And in conjunction with the Food Revolution Day mentioned below, I would like to encourage more readers or food lovers to choose and eat your food wisely. Nothing beats homecook food which use fresh ingredients, I am sure with some simple recipe(s) such as this Rosemary Honey Chicken Drumblets above, you are able to feed your loved ones with fresh and healthier meals anytime of the day.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE

Recently there is a wave about this "Food Revolution Day" which is going to take place on 19th May 2012 in different parts of the world. Initially this project is bought up by Jaime Olive to bring awareness across food consumers on proper diet habits using fresh ingredients rather than processed food which are high in sugar, unnatural preservatives and unknown chemicals. And here in Singapore we also have a group of food lovers who gets together to support this event, and this would be held on 19th May 2012 at The Lawn.

So all food lovers in Singapore, come and join with us on Food Revolution Day where all food lovers gather for a dinner party, share and learn about their knowledge about food! To find out more, you can hope over to Facebook or Twitter now to get the latest updates! Cya there!

{Photo Friday} Our Bento Dinner

Making Bento is one of our weekly or at least twice a month mother and kid bonding activities whereby my boy and I will agreed on a theme to work together to assemble his bento.  Up till date I have featured about 30 quick and easy kid's bento in Cuisine Paradise and here I would like to share with you two sets of our Bento Dinner which we have made recently.

A bowl of simple steamed rice topped with some Winnie the Pooh shaped roasted pumpkin adds some extra flavour to the plain rice.

A little bit of here and there make up a nicely presented kid's portion of our dinner. Instead of piling all the side dishes on the plate itself, I have divided them into small portion using colourful container to make the food look more appetising.

Here is another simple Bento Dinner which consists of Chicken Nuggets and Popcorn Chickens plus Hard-boiled Egg and some fish floss and baked whitebait on steamed rice. Till then have a great weekend everyone! Cheers!

Korean Spicy Chicken - 매운닭날개

If you do a Google on this "Korean Spicy Chicken(매운닭날개)" you notice there are quiet a few different methods and recipes in preparing this dish. From the usual style of marinating chicken using "gochujang paste(Korean hot pepper paste)" and cook it either stir-fry or grill to a fusion way similar to Buffalo Wings where chicken is oven baked and coated with layer(s) of Gochujang sauce.

KOREAN SPICY CHICKEN
매운닭날개

This bake version is something different from the usual Gochujang Chicken Stew(DakDoriTang - 닭도리탕) that is filled with vegetables and spices to warm the cold weather. To be honest, while preparing this dish I was quiet worry that it might not turn out well such as the guchujag sauce might be too spicy to our liking or the overall marination might be either too strong or etc.

But I guess my worried is in vain. By looking at the photo(s) shown above I am sure you are just as excited as me(at that time) who wants to have a bite on those mouth-watering sweet and spicy gochujang sauce coated mid-joints. .

Recipe adapted from Week of Menus, Korean-style Spicy Chicken Wing

(Serves: 2-3 |     Preparation: 10 minutes |       Cooking: 40 minutes)

Ingredients:
12 Chicken Mid-joint(500g)
1/2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/2 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Spicy Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Gochujang(고추장)
1.5 Tablespoons Honey
1.5 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2.5 Tablespoons Sake/Cooking Wine
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Roasted Sesame Seeds

Method:-

1. Rinse and pat dry chicken mid-joint, pour in marinade mixture(soy sauce, minced garlic and ginger, sesame oil and pepper)mix well and set as side in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 180° Celsius(356 degrees Fahrenheit), place chicken on baking tray lay with baking paper and bake for about 30 minutes. (turning the chicken at least twice to get an even brown colour)

3. Mix the spicy sauce sauce ingredients in a bowl, spoon/brush the mixture onto the baked mid-joint and return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes on 200° Celsius till caramelize.

4. Next remove mid-joint from heat, turn it over and spread another lager layer of sauce on it and continue to bake for another 5 minutes.

5. When done, remove mid-joint from oven, sprinkle some chopped spring onion and sesame seeds on it and serve hot.

Above is my share of mid-joints to go with steamed rice(I had 2 bowl of rice :p) and Kimchi(김치) which makes it perfect for my homecook Korean meal. This spicy chicken is definitely a great dish or finger food for party and gathering. And I am sure it goes well with a can of chilled beer to flash down some of those spiciness.

Other than this version of Baked Spicy Chicken, I would like to try the authentic Korean-style of "Gochujang Chicken Stew" soon and perhaps also some homemade Kimchi if I have the courage and time to try it out.

{Korean Cooking Project} Kimchi Tofu Soup - 김치순두부찌개

Kimchi Stew (김치 찌개) is one the Korean's favourite soup which is available all year round at their dinning table. It is sometime known as either "Kimchi Soup, Kimchi Stew or Kimi Jjigae " which is all referring to a pot of piping red hot soup made with Kimchi, Tofu and Meat or Seafood.

Although I have being to Korea about 2 years ago during our winter trip (read more HERE),  I have never come across my mind to learn how to prepare Korean dishes at home. As friendly speaking I am not a fan of their well-known appetizer; Kimchi(김치) or Korean Rice Cake (Tteok - 떡) which can be used to cook soup, stewed or noodles. (stay tune for my upcoming Korean Rice Cake with Ramen - Rabokki)

KIMCHI TOFU SOUP
(김치순두부찌개)

Recently I am into watching Korean drama craze whereby it makes it curious and keen to learn some of their basic homecook dishes shown in the drama such as Kimchi Stew(김치 찌개), Spicy Korean Instant Ramen, and Japchae(잡채) and etc. So without hesitate I loot back quite a number of Korean Ingredients(read more HERE) to start this Korean Cooking Project.

(Serves: 2 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
150g of Kimchi(김치)
200g of Chicken Fillet, cut into strips
150 - 200g Napa Cabbage(大白菜), cut into thick sections
1 Box Silken Tofu, cut into thick section
2 Stalks of Spring Onion, cut into sections
1 Medium Brown Onion, sliced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons of Gochujang(고추장)
600ml Of Boiling Water
Salt and Pepper

Method:-

1. Place a hot pot or pan on the stove, saute minced garlic with some 1 teaspoon of sesame/cooking oil till fragrant. Add in chicken fillet and cook till it changes colour to almost white.

2. Add onion, spring onion, kimchi and gochujuang and give it a quick stir till combine before adding water and bring to boil.

3. Add in napa cabbage and simmer over the mixture over medium low heat for about 10 minutes.

4. Lastly add in tofu and simmer for about another 5 - 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with extra spring onion or cut chilli.

5. Serve hot with steamed rice.

For the first dish of my Korean Cooking Project, I would like to share with you this simple "Kimchi Tofu Soup ( 김치순두부찌개)" which could be prepared in about 15 minutes time.  And this is definitely a perfect soup for cold weather such as rainy days to go with a bowl of hot steamed rice or ramen.

JAPCHAE(잡채)

(Preview)

Stay tune for my next Korean dish which is known as "Japchae(잡채)", or also known as "Korean Stir-fry Noodles with Beef and Vegetables". 

{Lunchbox} Aglio e Olio and Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

Since this week is the March School Holiday break, I have more control over the timing and presentation while preparing our lunch menu. Here we have something different from our usual school day lunch where I spent an extra 15 minutes plating up the dish in cute lunchbox with appealing decorations.

I think most of the kids might not like green vegetables, sweetcorn or even root vegetables such as carrot or onion. So in order to get kid's enjoy their meal, as a parent we can make something appealing for their eyes using simple tools and decorations. With a flower food cutter and cute food picks I managed to come out with this quick and simple lunchbox which I am sure even the adults can't resists having some for themselves too.

Caramel Chicken with Potato

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This Caramel Chicken with Potato dish is one of our family all-time favourite. It was infused with sweet and savory taste from the sauce and it's definitely perfect for a one dish meal. I was first introduce to this dish by one of my neighbour, Tarron during my stay in Brisbane many years back.

Instead of using sugar which is normal called in most Caramel Chicken recipe, here we are using Sweet Soy Sauce which is also known as "Kecap Manis" to sweeten the dish as well as giving it an unique fragrant and taste.

CARAMEL CHICKEN WITH POTATO

Although this dish might not look good as it is due to it's colour but I can assured you that you would love it's delicious sauce and taste which makes you having at least 2 bowl of rice to go with this dish.

(Serves: 4 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
1/2 Portion of Chicken(600g), cut into bite size pieces
1.5 Tablespoons Sesame/Cooking Oil
2 Medium Potato, peeled and cut into thick strips
2 Stalks of Spring Onion, cut into sections
1 Medium Red Onion, thinly sliced
4 Slices Ginger, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, lightly pound
2-3 Dried Chilli, optional
1 - 1.5 Tablespoon Sweet Soy Sauce(Kecap Manis)
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
Steamed Rice, to serve

Method:-

1. Trim and clean the chicken, pat dry and marinated it with 1 teaspoon of cornflour, light and dark soy sauce, ground pepper for at least 15 minutes before cooking time.

2. Lightly coat the potato strips with some cornflour and fry it with 1 teaspoon of oil till slightly golden brown, remove and set aside.

3. Heat up 1.5 tablespoons of sesame oil over medium low heat, saute ginger, garlic, onion, spring onion and dried chilli(soak in hot water to soften, remove seeds before use) till fragrant.

4. Add in chicken pieces and stir-fry until slightly golden in colour, stir in sweet and light soy sauce, return potatoes into pan, covered and cook for about 8 minutes with Happy Call Pan(pan locked) or until chicken is cooked through.

5. Check the taste and add extra sweet/light soy sauce according to your preference. Cook, stirring, for another 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Serve with steamed rice.

Note:-

~ You can use 4 chicken Maryland/breast meat for this recipe instead of 1/2 portion of chicken.

~ If you don't have dried chilli, you can replace it with red capsicum or red chilli.

Other than this Caramel Chicken dish, I have another similar dish using Sweet Soy Sauce(Kecap Manis) which is known as "Kaffir Lime Leave Chicken". You can read more about this post and it's recipe HERE.

Thai Green Curry Roast Chicken

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The quickest way to enjoy a bowl of comfort curry dish at home is by using curry paste that is easily available at major supermarkets. In Singapore there are many different types of curry pastes ranging from Chinese(Singapore curry, nonya curry), Malay(rendang, kari ayam), Indian(fish curry), to international choice of Japanese, Thai and etc.

Here we are using Thai Green Curry paste which is best with chicken(recipe HERE), pork or seafood whereas Thai Red Curry works best with beef, lamb or oily fish such as salmon.

Buttermilk Cereal Chicken

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Some of you might notice that I have being "working hard" on my experiments(more recipes HERE) with the Happy Call Pressure Pan(HCP). By the look of the photo above, could you believe those golden and crispy drumlets are NEITHER deep-fried or oven baked!

Yes, for your information these yummy Buttermilk Cereal Chicken is done using HCP without deep-frying or bake. With just minimum amount of oil to grease the pan, you would be able to prepare more healthy and delicious food for the family. In this post, I would be sharing the recipe for this Buttermilk Cereal Chicken using HCP and Oven.

Above shows the comparison of Buttermilk Cereal Chicken done using Happy Call Pressure Pan (HCP) via  Oven Toaster base on the recipes shown below.

BUTTERMILK CEREAL CHICKEN

(Using Happy Call Pan Method)

Look at these golden drumlets with yummy cornflakes coating, isn't it make you crave for some upon looking at it now? These super easy finger food would be something worth trying during weekend if you have some "stock-up" cornflakes in the pantry. And I assure you this definitely taste better than those deep-fried chicken from those fastfood restaurants.

(serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Drumlets
1.5 Cups Cornflakes
1 Teaspoons Ground Paprika
1 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Rind
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Cup Plain Flour
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
Some Salad Greens, to serve

Method:-

1. Using your hands gently crush cornflakes into crumbs, add in paprika, lemon rinds, pepper, salt and stir until well combined.

2. Place flour and buttermilk in separate shallow dishes. Coat chicken drumlets one at a time with flour, shaking off excess before dipping in buttermilk.

4. While the drumlets are still moist (this will enable the cornflake crumbs to cling), coat it one at time in cornflakes mixture, pressing on with fingertips to secure the crumbs.

5. Place drumlets on preheated HCP (light brush the pan with cooking oil and preheat on low heat for 30 seconds) with pan lock and cook over very low heat for 5 minutes before flipping the pan over for another 5 minutes.

6. Rotate the pan a few times (cook about 20 minutes) or until golden and cooked through (leave the pan unlock for the last 5 minutes to achieve crispy outer skin). Serve with some salad greens.

Tip:-

- If you have time, marinate the chicken with some extra Ground Paprika(1 teaspoon), lemon rind and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice for about 30 minutes.

~ You can cut a slit on the drumlets to enable the meat to cook faster.

BUTTERMILK CEREAL CHICKEN

(Oven Baked Method)

For those who don't own a Happy Call Pressure Pan, you could also try out this recipe using either Oven Toaster or normal Oven and the end-result is equally good. Just for a note, the outer skin of the chicken will remain crispy for an hour or so if use Oven baked compare to HCP which need to be consume as soon as possible.

(serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 30 minutes)

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Mid-joint
1.5 Cups Cornflakes
1 Teaspoons Ground Paprika
1 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Rind
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Cup Plain Flour
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
Some Salad Greens, to serve

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

2. Using your hands gently crush cornflakes into crumbs, add in paprika, lemon rinds, pepper, salt and stir until well combined. Set aside.

3. Place flour and buttermilk in separate shallow dishes. Coat mid-joints one at a time with flour, shaking off excess before dipping in buttermilk.

4. While the mid-joints are still moist (this will enable the cornflake crumbs to cling), coat it one at time in cornflakes mixture, pressing on with fingertips to secure the crumbs.

5. Place mid-joint prepared tray and lightly spray/brush with cooking oil.

6. Roast for 30 minutes(turning twice) or until golden and cooked through. Serve with some salad greens.

My family loves this crispy buttermilk chicken which is so flavorsome with it's tasty, tender and juicy meat together with the crispy and hint of spiciness on the outer skin. This is sure a good finger food to be serve during parties which goes well with sparking wine or beer.