PREPARATION METHOD FOR KOREAN GINSENG CHICKEN (SANGYETANG) RECIPE (20 mins excluding soaking time)
About 5 hours before your desired meal time, wash the glutinous rice and soak it for 1 hour.
While the rice is soaking, remove the head, feet and backside of the chicken leaving the neck intact. Clean the inside of the chicken thoroughly, removing the fats, internal organs and blood clots. Rub some salt all over the skin of the chicken and rinse off.
Cut the ginger into thin slices
Peel the garlic cloves and leave the cloves whole
Cut the spring onion into small pieces and set aside for garnishing (optional)
COOKING METHOD (4 hours)
Boil a kettle of water.
Stuff the rice into the cavity of the chicken together with the ginseng and garlic.
Close up the cavity by using a satay stick or tooth pick.
Put the chicken in a pot (using an earthen pot will have the best effect) and add enough boiling water from the kettle to cover the whole chicken.
Add in the ginger and red dates.
Cook the chicken over high heat until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat to medium.
Continue to simmer for 4 hours.
When it's done, add salt or light soya sauce to taste.
Dish out into individual bowls and serve hot.
Notes
Best to use fresh Korean ginseng if possible as it provides a more fragrant taste
During the 4 hours of simmering the soup, do check on the water level from time to time. If you need to top up, you can do so by adding boiling water. Don't add too much water or the soup will become very diluted.