Silkie (black-boned chicken)

The silkie, a small chicken breed with black skin, bones and flesh under fluffy white feathers, sold whole (in Australia, frozen). It double-boils into a darker, cleaner-tasting and less fatty soup than ordinary chicken. The classic base for nourishing soups with red dates, goji, dong gwai or coconut.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet　Meridians · liver、kidney

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy it is used to nourish yin and blood, support the liver and kidneys and ease deficiency heat, traditionally featuring in women's restorative soups after childbirth or menstruation.

Cautions: read first

• Not suitable while a cold is still unresolved
• Keep the portion moderate if you carry a lot of phlegm-damp

Preparation

Take out the innards and blanch it (飛水); it is mostly used for double-boiled soups (燉湯).

Origin · Geo-authentic (道地) source

Taihe in Jiangxi (the Taihe silkie is the authentic daodi source). Raw poultry cannot be imported into Australia, so Australian frozen silkies are locally raised

Availability in Australia

Easy to find

Pairs well with