Chicken soup has long been considered a home cure for the common cold and is just plain ol' good for the soul!
There´s literally a million ways that this soup dish can be prepared. It´s a very common dish in practically every Asian nation, and is often consumed throughout seasonal transitions, as it helps to prevent people from falling ill.
This is a lightly-herbed soup that will strengthen the Wei Qi. (Wei Qi is a classification of Qi that is otherwise known as our protective Qi. It is our first line of defense against external factors that cause illness. The stronger and more nourished our protective Qi, the healthier and more resistant we are to external pathogens that cause illness.)
When made in a crock pot, you can throw in all the ingredients and just let it cook with nothing to worry about!
This dish is great to make once a week. I keep a pot of this going almost constantly, as it´s great both for breakfast and as a snack, and is always ready when I want it—no prep needed, as I simply leave setting of the crock pot on "warm."
Ingredients:
1 whole pastured chicken, giblets included (with head and feet is even better)
1 handful of Huang Qi (Astragalus)
1 handful of Shan Zha (Hawthorn Berries)
8-10 carrots, minced
1 onion, minced
2-4 varieties of mushrooms
½ cup of red or black Rice
Splash of fish sauce
Directions:<
1. Throw all of the ingredients into a pot and cover with water. That simple!
If being made in a crock pot, have it cook on high for about 6 hours.
If making this in a huge pot, bring to a boil, skim the scum, and then simmer for at least 4-6 hours.
*I keep this on "warm" after it´s done cooking in my crock pot until I finish eating all of it, usually taking about 2 days, just for me. No refrigeration necessary, although I´m sure you may be inclined to do so.
2. Just pick out the bones and Huang Qi as you run across it.
Plum Dragon also carries an herb pack of dried Chinese herbs already measured and mixed for use in Chinese Chicken Soup,
Happy Cooking!
*Credit for this recipe goes to JK DeLapp