Steam Luo Han Guo Chicken

Saw this recipe from one of the TV show on 纵横中医三. In one part of the program, it do teach on how to use Chinese herbs to whip up some simple and delicious dish. So upon seeing the introduction of this dish, I decided to give it a try. It said that actually 罗汉果: Tastes sweet and of cool nature, it clears Heat, treats coughing and nourishes the intestine. While 玉竹: Nourishes Ying, moistens internal Dryness, stimulates silva and quenches thirst. It heals coughing, treats bothersome thirsty, clears the internal Heat that harms Ying as well as Dryness and pain the throat.

So why not, give this dish a try. It's a very delicious and simple dish.


Ingredients:
1 Small Chicken, abt 1-1.2kg
2 Luo Han Guo(罗汉果 ), removed shell
8 Red Dates(红枣)
2 Honey Dates(密枣)
4 Stalks Dang Sheng(当参), cut into slices
1/2 Tablespoon Gou Ji Zi(杞子)
10-15g Yu Zhu(玉竹)
1 Tablespoon Honey
Few Stalks Spring Onion
Garnish & Sauce:
2 Slices Ginger, shredded
1 Stalk Spring Onion, shredded
1 Chilly, deseed and shredded
1/2 Cup Water or Chicken Stock
1 1/2 Tablespoon Cornflour Water

Methods:
1. Wash, removed any extra fat and pat dry the chicken then set aside for later use.
2. Rinse all the dry herb ingredients except Luo Han Guo then stuff all the ingredients into the stomach of the chicken.(If can't stuff all just spread some outside the chicken)
3. Rub the outer skin of the chicken with honey to keep it moist while steaming.
4. Put a few stalks of spring onion on the foil and place the chicken on top of it.
5. Wrap the chicken tightly and steam over medium heat for about 1 hour to 1.5 hour depend on the size of the chicken.
6. Remove the chicken and cut it into smaller pieces or half.
7. Preheat a pan with 1 teaspoon of oil then add in ginger and chilly, stir-fry it till fragrant.
8. Pour in 1/2 chicken stock then follow by the sauce from the steam chicken.
9. When the mixture come to boil, add in the cornflour water to thicken the sauce.
10. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with some spring onion and served with rice.

Notes:
I used those electric steamer and I steam it for about 1.5 hrs.

The taste of the chicken is sort of like the Luo Han Guo herbal tea, very nice and refreshing.