삼계탕/samgye Tang Recipe

Soak and rinse rice

Place 1 cup short-grain rice in a bowl and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and let sit, covered, for 20–30 minutes while you prep other ingredients.

Prep other stuffing ingredients

If using dried ginseng, soak it in warm water for 10–15 minutes. Peel garlic cloves if using whole peeled. If chestnuts are raw, parboil or roast and peel them; if using pre-cooked chestnuts, halve large chestnuts. Pit jujubes if needed and slice larger ones in half.

Pat the Cornish hens dry inside and out with paper towels. Season the cavity lightly with 1 tablespoon of the coarse kosher salt (divide between the two birds).

Stuff each hen with an even portion of the drained rice (about 1/2 cup per bird), 1 ginseng root per bird, 4 garlic cloves, 3 jujubes, 3 chestnuts and 4 ginkgo nuts if using. Do not overpack — rice will expand slightly while cooking.

Close the cavity using kitchen twine or by tucking the skin and legs. Tie the legs together and, if desired, tie the wings to the body so the birds hold shape while braising.

Place the stuffed hens in a large stockpot, breast side up. Add 10 cups cold water — enough to cover the birds by about 1–2 inches. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon coarse kosher salt to the pot.

Bring to a gentle boil over high heat. As it comes to a boil, skim any foam or impurities from the surface with a fine mesh skimmer or spoon to keep the broth clear.

Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover partially with a lid and simmer for 50–60 minutes. Check after 40 minutes: the rice should be cooked through (soft and slightly broken up), the meat should be tender and pulling from the bone, and the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh should read about 175–180°F (79–82°C). If needed, simmer up to 10–15 more minutes.

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the tied green onion stalks into the pot for aroma.

Carefully remove each hen to a shallow bowl or individual soup bowls. Spoon hot broth over the bird so rice inside is moistened and soup fills the bowl.

Adjust seasoning: pass fine kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper at the table so each diner can season to taste. Add a few drops of sesame oil if desired.

Serve hot — traditionally each diner receives one small hen with rice-stuffed cavity and a ladle of broth. Use a spoon to scoop rice and broth together, and pick out the ginseng, jujube and chestnut pieces as you eat.

Leftover broth can be strained and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.