Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)

Ingredients

• 2poussin, small young chickens, about 500 g each
• 3 1/2 ozglutinous rice, sticky rice — despite the name it contains no gluten
• 2fresh ginseng root, dried ginseng works; use one piece if so
• 8 clovegarlic, peeled and left whole
• 4jujubes, dried red dates
• 2spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tspsea salt, plus more for the table
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 2 quartswater

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs clear, then cover with cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.

2. 2

   Trim any loose fat from the cavity of each poussin and rinse them inside and out under cold running water.

3. 3

   Pack each cavity about two thirds full with the drained rice, then push in half the garlic, a ginseng root and two jujubes. Cross the legs over the opening to hold everything in.

4. 4

   Sit the birds upright in a deep pot, add the water and the remaining garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a bare simmer, cover, and cook for 60 minutes, skimming the foam that rises in the first ten.

5. 5

   Stir the salt and pepper into the broth. Lift each bird into a deep bowl, ladle the broth over and scatter with spring onions. Put extra salt on the table — it is meant to be seasoned at the last moment, by whoever is eating it.