with chef Nguyễn Văn Tuân from Fortuna Hanoi Hotel

Double-boiled chicken herbal soup is a very nourishing dish, especially for women. Drinking this soup helps to improve blood circulation and revitalise your energy levels, and it helps to replenish the blood stores after a woman’s monthly cycle so you won’t look pail and fatigued. The dish is brought to you by chef Ho.

Ingredients: serves 2-3

• 1 black chicken
• 10g dang shen (ginseng), about 4 thin slices or 1 thick slice cut into 1/2 cm widths
• 5g wolfberry
• 4-5 red dates
• 5g huang qi (flowering plant, 1 long strip)
• 3g zhong xiong, (4 slices)
• 3g dang gui (female ginseng), 4 slices
• 2g gan cao (licorice root), 3-4 thin slices
• 5g gao li shen xu herb (4-5 sticks)
• 4 bowls boiling water
• 5 dried longan (optional)
• 2 – 2 1/2l water

Preparation:

·  Cut off the feet and head of the chicken. Discard the head. Cut off the claws of the chicken feet and wash clean.

·  Remove the skin and fats from the chicken. Cut the chicken in half.

·  Clean the inside of the chicken and rinse well.

·  Rinse all the herbs except the wolfberries.

·  Place the chicken and chicken feet into a stainless steel bowl or porcelain pot with cover.

·  Put all the herbs into the pot together with the chicken except for the red dates and wolfberry. Add in 2 bowls of boiling water and cover the stainless steel bowl with aluminum foil or a stainless steel plate that fits in the bowl.

chef Tuân

Method:

·  In a large pot, pour about 2-2 1/2 litre of water and bring to a boil over high heat.

·  When the water is boiling, put in a steaming rack and place the stainless steel bowl/porcelain pot on top. Cover the large pot.

·  Double-boil the chicken for 3 hours over medium heat, ensuring there is always sufficient water in the outer pot.

·  After 2 1/2hr, add in the red dates and wolfberry and continue to double boil for another 30min.

·  Add salt to taste and serve hot.

You can sample the dish at Fortuna Hanoi Hotel, 6B Láng Hạ St, Ba Đình Dist, Hà Nội. Tel: 84.24. 3831 333 3, Ext. 6435.