Food As Medicine
Winter is officially upon us! Do you know of anyone with poor circulation, someone whose feet or hands always seem to be cold, or perhaps a female friend or relative who’s just given birth and is currently recovering? Well I’m no doctor, but I am a cook (anyone who’s felt stronger after a bowl of their grandmother’s chicken soup knows what I’m talking about!), and I have many “medicinal” recipes in my repertoire, like this Taiwanese sesame oil chicken soup. In Taiwan, Sesame Oil Chicken Soup is a must-have for new mothers as well as elders, as it is known to nourish and strengthen overall health. Let’s look at a few of this soup’s ingredients through a Chinese medicine lens:
Chicken: enhances physical strength (no wonder moms across so many cultures give their kids chicken soup to fight off colds) Black sesame oil: nourishes the blood (many black-colored foods like black rice, black seaweed, black dates, and black wood ear mushrooms are beneficial for blood health) Ginger: promotes circulation and expels cold/dampness Rice Wine, aka Michiu: stimulates circulation and improves overall energy (Qi)
There is an old saying in China: “万物皆生于春, 长于夏, 收于秋, 藏于冬, 人也亦之,” which translates to “All living things are born in spring, grow in summer, harvested in autumn, and hidden in winter. People are the same.” I think the word “hidden” here also implies that wintertime is the perfect time to “feed” our bodies and gain strength. This sesame oil chicken soup is just the kind of fortifying—and delicious—tonic our family needs, and the best part is––it doesn’t have to sit on the stove for hours. It only takes a little over an hour to make.
Recipe Notes
Ok, let’s get on with the recipe. I use chicken legs for this soup. They are not only affordable, they also stay tender after being simmered for an extended period of time in the soup. If you want to make this soup a complete meal, feel free to add veggies like napa cabbage, soft tofu, or glass noodles. If you do want to add these ingredients, add them towards the end and continue simmering the soup until the cabbage is tender the tofu is heated through, and/or the noodles are cooked. Cooking tip: to prevent the chicken from sticking when browning, preheat your wok or pot (you must use a thick bottomed pot) until it starts to smoke slightly. Then turn down the heat and wait a couple of seconds before adding oil to it.
Sesame Oil Chicken Soup: Recipe Instructions
Note: The clear rice wine that we used, and most clear Chinese rice cooking wines have an alcohol content of 12-15%. Check the alcohol content in your wine to ensure that you’re not accidentally using something stronger! Rinse your chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat your wok or thick-bottomed pot over high heat until it starts to smoke slightly. Turn down the heat to medium, and wait a couple of seconds. Then add the black sesame oil, along with the sliced ginger. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn up the heat to high, and sear the chicken legs (in batches if needed) until browned on all sides. Once the chicken legs are nicely browned, turn the heat back down to medium and add in Taiwanese rice wine, rock sugar, and water. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. The soup should be bubbling, but not boiling. The idea here is to cook the chicken and intensify the soup’s flavor without cooking off the liquid. The soup is ready once the chicken legs are tender. Season with salt to taste and garnish with scallions when serving.
