Korean Ginseng Chicken (Samgyetang)

[cabrales]

Have members sampled a Korean dish which features a whole chicken in a broth flavored with ginseng? I wonder if this is a traditional Korean dish.

Edited April 2, 2003 by cabrales (log)

[torakris]

I mentioned this in the Korean foods thread, and have remembered its name: samgyetang.

It is a wonderful soup made with chicken, glutinous rice, ginseng, jujubes(red asian dates) and some garlic and it a tradional summer dish, normally served during sambok (the 3 hottest days of summer in Korea).

I had this in a restaurant in the Korean part of Tokyo just a month ago and it was soo wonderful!

It is so easy to make at home, yet I always end up ordering at restaurants instead

[cabrales]

torakris -- The dish could be seasonal? Was the chicken flesh dipped in salt or something else, when it was removed from the broth?

[anil]

What is the term used for ginseng in Korea ? Waaay back; in Colonial Hong-Kong ginseng was subtly/not-so-subtly was touted what in modern day is pumped up as vitamin-V

[Jinmyo]

Waaaaay back? Still is.

This sounds like a very Cantonese dish imported to Korea.

[torakris]

In Korea ginseng is called imsam.

I have never dipped it into salt before eating in any of the places I have had it at.

[Jinmyo]

I've had a dish like this but I forget what it was called. I think it was in Taiwan and I'm sure it was a Cantonese place. There were dipping bowls of salt mixed with white pepper. Prawn crisps too, I think.

[torakris]

a quick search of various rcipes on the internet, shows various ways of eating it

no condiments

salt

salt and pepper

salt pepper and sesame seeds

so I guess it is up to you.

[tissue]

The rice and garlic is stuffed inside the cavity of the chicken.

It's supposed to be very nutritious.

I had it in Korea on my trip, so delicious.

[skchai]

There is also a version w/o ginseng called yeonggye baeksuk. The upper-end version is made with "black-bone" chicken which is supposed to multiply the medicinal value greatly!

[Pan]

I've avoided dishes with ginseng because I heard it raises blood pressure. Can anyone confirm or refute this?

[anil]

I've avoided dishes with ginseng because I heard it raises blood pressure. Can anyone confirm or refute this?

I can do neither . However, eons ago, a certain room-mate of mine insisted that having it in tea or at dinner - enhanced one's abilities later during the night

I have taken ginseng tablets to combat jet-lag and associated fatigue. You know there are different kinds of ginseng too .....

[torakris]

I've avoided dishes with ginseng because I heard it raises blood pressure. Can anyone confirm or refute this?

apparently it can in some people:

http://www.lauralewis.com/archives/magazin...aura11-1-99.htm

[Pan]

Thanks, Kris.

[tissue]

With the asian medicine my doctor has told me that people can't all eat the same things. There are many kinds of ginseng. THe use for American ginseng is different than for wild ginseng or for Korean ginseng. Sort of like supplements. My doctor never recommends people going to the Chinese herbal shop and just going on a buying spree, because you take the wrong thing it could cause more harm...