Si Shen Dang Gui Chicken Soup - 四神当归鸡汤

I think alot of people had heard or taken Si Shen Tang before. There are actually a few version of the ingredients. You can bought those pre-packed type from any supermarket or Chinese medical hall. The ingredients inside may vary and you can add in extra ingredients to suit your needs and taste.


For this Si Shen Tang of mine, I add in Fresh Huai Shan, Gou Qizi and Dang Gui(click link for more details) to make it more effective for the blood circulation. And the Lotus seed that I used is those type with skin. Lotus seeds are classified as astringents, being sweet and neutral, and benefiting the spleen, kidney, and heart. The sweet taste and nourishing qualities of the seed are responsible for the benefit to the spleen; this helps stop diarrhea associated with qi deficiency. The astringent quality helps prevent loss of kidney essence, so the seeds are used to treat weak sexual function in men and leukorrhea in women. The seed also has calming properties that alleviate restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia.

Ingredients:
2 - 3 Chicken Drumsticks
1 Piece Fresh Huai Shan(淮山), about 150g
40g Lotus Seed(莲子)
40g Chinese Barley(中国薏米),optional
20g Fox Nut(茨实)
20g Fu Lin(茯苓)
15g Slices Dang Gui(当归), about 5 pieces
1/2 Tablespoon Guo Qizi(枸杞子)

Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Methods:
1. Blanch chicken drumsticks in boiling water, rinse and set aside.
2. Rinse all the herbs, drain and add in the pot with about 1.5 litres of water and bring to bowl.
3. Peel the fresh huai shan, wash and cut into thick section then add into the water.
4. When it comes to boil, add in the chicken drumsticks and let it boil for 10 minutes on high heat.
5. Transfer to slow cooker and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours then season with salt and rice wine then serve hot.

Notes: If you just want normal plain si shen tang, then obmit the Dang Gui slices and Guo Qizi.