Samgyetang is ginseng chicken soup, and in Korea it is the traditional remedy for the hottest days of summer. On the three dog days, people line up for bowls of whole young chickens stuffed with sweet rice, ginseng, and jujubes, simmered until the meat falls from the bone. The belief is that heat is best fought with heat, and the soup is famously restorative. It is warming, calming, and the ultimate Korean comfort soup.
Tender chicken, fragrant rice, golden broth
The broth is golden and clean, perfumed with garlic, ginseng, and the faint sweetness of jujubes, and the chicken is so tender it nearly dissolves. The rice inside is soft and infused with the juices, and a dip of salt, pepper, and sesame makes every bite shine. Serve it piping hot with the chicken whole in the bowl, and let everyone tear into it. It is a bowl of pure, quiet comfort, the kind of food that makes you feel taken care of.
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