How to Make Samgyetang

Samyetang

Here is an image of a delicious bowl of Samgyetang! Let me know if you’d like any adjustments or have other requests.

Samgyetang (삼계탕) is a Korean ginseng chicken soup traditionally enjoyed during the summer as a nourishing and revitalizing dish. Here's how to make it:

Ingredients:

For 2-4 servings:

1 whole young chicken (Cornish hen) (about 1.5–2 lbs/700–900 g)
1/2 cup glutinous rice (sweet rice), soaked in water for at least 1 hour
2-3 ginseng roots (fresh or dried)
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
3-4 jujubes (Korean dried red dates)
1 small piece of ginger (optional)
2-3 chestnuts (optional)
4-5 stalks of green onion (use the white part)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water, about 8–10 cups
Optional garnishes: chopped green onions or sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chicken:

Clean the chicken thoroughly, removing any remaining feathers and trimming excess fat. Rinse inside and out with cold water.
If available, remove the neck and gizzards (you can save these for other uses or discard them).

2. Stuff the Chicken:

Drain the soaked glutinous rice.
Stuff the chicken cavity with the soaked rice, 1-2 ginseng roots, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1-2 jujubes, and chestnuts (if using). Use a toothpick or kitchen twine to close the cavity securely.

3. Prepare the Soup Base:

In a large pot, add the stuffed chicken.
Pour in 8–10 cups of water (enough to fully submerge the chicken).
Add the remaining garlic cloves, ginseng, jujubes, ginger (if using), and white parts of green onion.

4. Cook the Soup:

Bring the pot to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1.5–2 hours until the chicken is tender and the flavors are infused.
Skim off any foam or impurities that float to the top during cooking.

5. Season and Serve:

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Carefully transfer the whole chicken to a large serving bowl or pot. Ladle the broth over it.
Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.
Serve the soup hot with kimchi and other Korean side dishes.

Tips:

Optional Additions: You can add medicinal herbs like astragalus root or angelica root for a more traditional flavor.
Shortcut: If ginseng is unavailable, you can use ginseng tea bags or powdered ginseng as a substitute.
Eating: Pull apart the chicken at the table and enjoy the tender meat with the flavorful rice inside.

Enjoy your homemade Samgyetang, a comforting and nourishing Korean dish! Let me know if you'd like suggestions for pairing it with other dishes.