Food for the Season: Winter, Vegetable Chicken Soup with Chinese Herbs

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized chicken legs (Rocky Range)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped or grated
• 1 medium sized potato, cut
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 medium sized onion, cut
• 1 cup of carrots, sliced
• 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup of zucchini or bok choy, cut
• 1 cup of rice wine (sake)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 lemon

Herbs:

• 2 thin slices of Dang Gui (small)
• 3 pieces of Huang Qi
• 1 handful of Gou Qi Zi (Lycee Berries)
• 1 big piece of Fuling Mushroom
• 5 pieces Shan Yao Dioscorea (Wild Yam)

Preparation:

1. Remove the skin of the chicken, and boil with the ginger and potatoes.
2. Add herbs in a muslin bag and boil for 30 minutes
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except the lemon until veggies are tender.

Serve with rice. Add the lemon juice at the table.

Comment:

Chicken is used as an energy tonic to warm the interior (of the body). In order to benefit from this dish, it is not necessary to eat the meat. The broth is "strong enough medicine"! Lemon juice is used for the digestion of fats and oils and adds a unique flavor.