Herbal Chicken Soup

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 2 hours or more

1 Whole Chicken, without head and feet
30 g (2 stalks) Dǎngshēn – a.k.a. “Poor Man’s Ginseng”, Cut into 1-inch size
20 g Lotus seed
25 g Dried Red Dates
30 g Ginger – Around 1-inch chunk
5 litre Water – As much as needed to cover to around 1 inch above chicken

A
5g (1 tsp) Salt
5g (1 tsp) Sugar
5g (1 tsp) Vji Brand MSG

(Optional) Slow cooker / Rice cooker

Preparation Method:

1. Boil water in a pot enough to cover the whole chicken. Put the chicken in (after water boils) for 1 minute to clear off excess blood. Take the chicken out and put aside, discard the boiling water.

2. In a new pot (or slow cooker / rice cooker), put in all the ingredients except for those listed under Part A. (Put in the chicken just now as well, of course!)

3. Making sure the water is enough to cover around 1-inch over the chicken, start cooking at low heat for at least 2 hours.

4. For extended cooking times, water may need to be added from time to time.

5. Before serving, add in Part A, recheck for taste and adjust as needed.