Pao Shen (泡参) is considered the most premium grade of American Ginseng. It has cooling effect on the body (remove heat), to refresh and quench thirst while improving appetite. Taken regularly, Pao Shen helps to relieve your physical (revitalises energy and strength) and mental stress to keep you alert in everyday peak performance.
Ginseng comes in a few form such as Ginseng Slice, Ginseng Root or whole Ginseng itself which are used for different purpose of cooking and medical terms.You can get it from your TCM shop or Eu Yan Sang. I bought mine there at Eu Yan Sang. And they will slice it off thinly for you using their special slicer knife, which is impossible for us to do it on ourselves.
Here I have prepared Double-boiled Pao Shen with Black Chicken Soup which helps to improved the QI circulation in our body as well as benefits those who always stay up late at night.
Black Chicken (乌鸡) also known as Silkie chicken / Black Bone Chicken which is black-pigmented right down to it's bone - the skin, the meat, the feet and the bone. What's the deal with these black chickens, and do they taste different than the paler breed?
The chicken flesh itself is a dark bluish-grey or even black, and the bones are black as well. But the meat really doesn't taste different by nature; it's just chicken but the meat is slightly sweeter. Their size is smaller than the regular chickens. Black chicken is chock full of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals in the body and keep you healthy from sicknesses such as the common cold.
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy )
Black chicken helps to replenish Yin, clear heat, nourish liver and kidneys, strengthen the spleen and stop bleeding. Low in fats and high in protein, suitable for making herbal soups.
Wolfberries - Replenish vital energy, protect liver and kidneys, brighten vision, quench thirst, anti-aging and reduce stress.
Red Dates - Replenish vital energy, nourish blood, promote secretion of body fluids, tonify liver.
Ingredients : (serves 2)
1 whole Black Chicken Leg (cut into 2 portions) + 2 Feets (you can replace with
other parts) - skin removed
7g Sliced Pao Shen
6pcs Red Dates - pitted
5g Wolfberries
500ml Boiling Hot Water
Salt to taste
Step by Step:
1. Clean, rinse and blanch black chicken meat in boiling water for 2 minutes, rinse and set aside.
2. Rinse all the herbs and set aside.
3. Add hot boiling water and all other ingredients (except salt) into the double boiler pot / slow cooker pot.
4. Boil on HIGH mode for 2 hours, then switch to LOW mode for another 1 hour.
5. When it's done, add salt to taste.
6. Serve hot.
To me nutritious soup is the key to a youthful look and beautiful skin, deep inside and outside.
Make sure to get yourself a healthy bowl of soup at least once a week. It will certainly make a difference.