Ginseng soup.. anyone?

Gong Xi Fa Chai to my chinese friends all over the world!

It's 2-days public holidays here in Malaysia, and I'm taking the opportunity to do some shopping and trying new recipes!

These days, I've always looking to add some new flavors into the food I'm taking, as long as it's good in its nutritional values and brings benefits to me, I'm all for it!

Recently (during last christmas), I was at a food court, looking for things to eat, and stumble upon this stall that sells various chinese soups - from ginseng to herbals soups, etc (it's at Lot10 shopping centre). I've never in my life ever taste any of these (I used to cringe when my chinese friends ate them.. remember that William? (not sure if he'd ever read this)). That day, in the name of 'a good stuff', I ordered a bowl of its chicken-ginseng-soup.

It look something like this image below (well I borrowed the picture from a site - so you get the idea, there's a recipe there too).

As they said, the rest is history - I just LOVE them!!

Since then, I've been on a search of a chicken-ginseng-soup, but it's not easy to find some halal version of it (I guess I've not searched hard enough). Never mind I thought, this is a good chance to be adventurous and try something new myself at home!

As always, Mr. Google showed me the path, printed some ingredients list, and off I went to find it. I've no clue where to look for it, tried asking at my local grocery stores, found some pre-packages stuff branded under the name of 'Uncle Sun' - taste just like the one I expected. I'm happy - been having ginseng soups now at almosts every other weekend!

Now that I'm getting more familiar with the ingredients, I tend to buy the ingredients raw at the local chinese medicine shops - and make myself the soups (at least I can control how much salt etc). My family are getting used to it now, and all of them been taking it with me! even my 3 year old!

Since today is Chinese New Year, I wanted to be slightly 'oriental' and making myself the soup - this is my version below. Added some beans, celery, lentil, lotsa onion, etc - just to add more fiber to it.

This was my lunch, at least what's left of it. I tend to eat them all - the ginseng, dried wolfberries, chinese red dates, tree bark, dried longan, lotus seeds, everything! (except of coz the chicken bones), and I have it with some brown rice only. 

Hmm.. actually I've some left for a reason.. my dinner! ;)

Have you try something new today?

Sher Khan.