Herbal Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cornish hen ((about 1.5-1.75 lbs))
• 0.7 oz astragalus roots ((about 4 slices))
• 0.7 oz dried Chinese yams ((about 6 slices))
• 0.4 oz angelica sinensis ((about 2 slices))
• 0.3 oz goji berries ((1 1/2 tablespoons))
• 4-8 red dates, seeds removed ((depending on their size))
• 2 1/2 cups fresh young coconut juice ((juice from about 2 young coconuts, or substitute with water))
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2-inch piece of ginger
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
• scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse all herbs (astragalus roots, dried Chinese yams, angelica sinensis, goji berries and red dates) under water to remove dirt. Soak in water for 5-10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Rub cornish hen with a lot of salt and rinse under water to clean it. Or you can parboil it in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.

3. 3

   In a clean pot, add cornish hen, ginger, garlic, coconut juice and water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce heat to a simmer and add all the medicinal herbs and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt (or to taste).

4. 4

   Gently simmer for 60 minutes, or to desired strength of the soup and tenderness of the chicken. If you use a larger chicken, you may need to increase cooking time.

5. 5

   Serve hot and garnish with sliced scallions.