Kona K's Korean Chicken Ginseng Soup (Samgyetang)

Kona K's Note:

Korean version of chicken soup -- incredibly satisfying and healthy.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 small Cornish hen
• 2 pieces ginseng roots (dried or fresh, approx. 2-3 inches long)
• 7 garlic cloves
• 7 dried red dates
• 5 dried chestnuts , peeled
• 1 cup sweet rice , uncooked
• 10 cups water
• ¼ cup scallion , chopped
• salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

1. Clean the hen thoroughly under cold running water.
2. Place hen in medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling and white foam forms at the surface, take pot off the burner.
3. Throw away the water, and rinse the hen thoroughly under running water until it's very clean (there should be no blood).
4. Stuff the chicken with approximately 1/2 cup uncooked sweet rice, 3 garlic cloves and 3 dried dates (if there's still room, add more garlic or dates). The chicken should be completely stuffed.
5. Place chicken in the pot. Add in the 10 cups water.
6. Toss in remaining garlic cloves, dates, dried chestnuts, and sweet rice.
7. Place over medium-high heat. Once water starts boiling, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer. Check on chicken every 20 minutes or so, spooning liquids over top of chicken so that it doesn't dry out.
8. Flip chicken over once after about an hour of cooking so it cooks evenly.
9. If the soup boils too hard, reduce heat to medium-low. It should be simmering gently for about 3 hours.
10. To serve, break chicken apart. Ladle chicken, rice and soup into a bowl, and garnish with scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste.