DAAN Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture

Ginseng soup is commonly eaten in Korea to keep warm through the cold winter months:

“Comfort comes in many forms. In Korea - especially when it’s cold outside - it’s as simple as a steaming bowl of sam gye-tang. But even in Koreatown, it’s hard to find. In the Mayfair neighborhood - just West of Koreatown - the Ssyal Ginseng House is the place to go. Look for the signs proclaiming the “Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup House.” Once inside, you’ll see the restaurant’s namesake - lots of ginseng roots - preserved in alcohol for sale on its own.

The meal begins with tiny Cornish game hens, which are washed and then stuffed with an assortment of ingredients, including fresh garlic cloves and red dates; plus, fresh ginseng root, which Koreans swear by its health benefits, and short-grain rice. The hen is tied up with a toothpick, before being submerged in a ginger-and-ginseng-laced broth in a giant pot.

After about 45 minutes at a rapid simmer, the lid is removed, and the hen is carefully transferred to an individual serving bowl, along with a few ladlefuls of the rich, infused broth and an extra piece of boiled ginseng. It’s heated over high heat, until it boils, at which point the fat is skimmed from the top. Meanwhile, an assortment of vegetarian sides, called panchan, is assembled into tiny bowls, along with some nutty brown rice. The boiling bowl is transferred to a large cart, along with all of the sides and the rice, and then is carefully wheeled out to the dining room, where everything is set before you. “

Tags: Ginseng //