老火湯LO FO TONG 中 Sign in

All soups › Nourishing tonics

Double-boiled chicken with sea cucumber

Double-boiled chicken with sea cucumber

海參燉雞
supports the kidneysnourishes yinnourishes bloodrelieves drynesspostpartum nourishmentAutumnWinterAll year double-boiled · 3.5 hours

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”

Ingredientsone pot, serves 4

百子櫃Sea cucumber (dried)· 遼參 or 禿參 sea cucumber, double-boiled whole1 to 2, already soaked and reconstituted
街市Fresh chicken (whole or half)· blanchedhalf a bird
百子櫃Dried scallop (conpoy)· soaked until soft3
街市Fresh ginger2 slices
百子櫃Dried longan flesh· optional8 g (2 mace)
百子櫃Red jujube date· optional2

Method

Double-boiled (隔水燉, cooked in a covered pot sitting in a pan of boiling water). Put the ingredients in a family-sized stewing pot and pour in about 1 litre of boiling water, just covering them. Seal with cling film (traditionally gauze paper) and put the lid on, sit it in an outer pan with water reaching one third to halfway up the pot, and cook for 3 to 4 hours. The sea cucumber can go in later in the cooking so it keeps its whole shape. Salt goes in last.

  1. Soak the sea cucumber ahead of time until it is soft and clean out the cavity.
  2. Chop the fresh chicken into pieces and blanch it (汆水, a quick boil to draw out blood and scum). Soak the dried scallops until soft.
  3. Put the chicken, dried scallops and ginger into the stewing pot, along with the dried longan and red dates if you are using them, and pour in boiling water to just cover.
  4. Seal with cling film, put the lid on and double-boil for 3 to 4 hours, adding the sea cucumber later in the cooking so it holds its shape.
  5. Season with salt before drinking.

Who it suits

  • nourishing a pregnancy
  • after childbirth
  • people with long-term illness
  • people managing the three highs (this soup is low in cholesterol)

Who should take care

  • People with a weak spleen and stomach and loose stools should eat less of it
  • No double-boiled tonics while a cold has not cleared (general warning across this whole collection)
  • People with gout should keep to a moderate amount

Soup stories

Sea cucumber carries the name of a match for ginseng, the ginseng of the sea. Double-boiling it whole is the grandest way to serve it, nourishing without being drying, high in protein, low in fat and close to zero cholesterol.

From the same family

Double-boiled lean pork with ginseng and dendrobiumDouble-boiled chicken with cordycepsDouble-boiled teal with cordyceps

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.