Samgyetang

Samgyetang is Korea's legendary ginseng chicken soup, traditionally eaten on the hottest days of the year to replenish the body's strength. A whole young chicken is stuffed with glutinous rice, whole garlic cloves, ginseng, and sweet jujubes, then simmered until tender in a clear, milky broth that extracts all the flavor from the meat and bones. The rice inside the chicken soaks up the broth, turning into a soft, flavorful porridge. It's pure comfort food – deeply nourishing, mild, and cleansing. Serve it piping hot in deep bowls, and season with salt and pepper at the table, as is customary in Korea.

• Cuisine: South Korea
• Time: 1 hour 30 minutes + soaking
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Rinse the glutinous rice and soak it in cold water for at least 1 hour. Drain before use.
2. Rinse the chickens thoroughly inside and out, and pat them dry. Trim any excess fat around the neck opening if necessary.
3. Stuff each chicken with soaked glutinous rice, a few whole garlic cloves, a piece of ginseng, and a couple of jujubes – fill only about two-thirds, as the rice will expand.
4. Close the opening by crossing the legs or securing with a toothpick to keep the rice inside during cooking.
5. Place the chickens in a deep pot, cover with cold water, and add the remaining garlic, ginger, and jujubes. Slowly bring to a boil.
6. Skim any impurities from the surface, cover with a lid, reduce heat, and let the soup simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the meat separates from the bone.
7. Check that the chicken is cooked through to the bone – the meat juices should run clear, and the core temperature should be at least 75 degrees Celsius. The rice inside the chicken should be soft.
8. Arrange one chicken per deep bowl with plenty of the clear broth, sprinkle with sliced spring onions, and serve with salt and pepper so each guest can season to their liking.

Tips

• Use small young chickens (poussins weighing 450-600 g) so each guest gets their own – otherwise, cut a larger chicken into portions after cooking.
• Let the soup simmer gently; a violent boil will make the broth cloudy instead of clear and milky.
• If you can get fresh or dried ginseng root, it provides the authentic, slightly bitter note – otherwise, the dish can easily be made without it.
• Season with salt only at the table; the broth is deliberately cooked neutral so the chicken's own flavor comes through.