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Chinese medical traditions →

Steamed black chicken with jujubes and longan

The traditional recovery dish after childbirth.

Traditional use

Time
Preparation 20 min (plus 30 min marinating), steaming 1 hour
Makes
4 people

In China black chicken is traditionally given after childbirth to replenish blood and strength. Jujubes and longan strengthen this; sesame oil warms.

Ingredients

  • 1 black (silkie) chicken or 4 black chicken legs, in pieces
  • 10 pieces dried longan flesh, rinsed
  • 6 pitted jujubes, rinsed
  • 2 spring onions, in pieces
  • 1 stick celery, in pieces
  • 6 slices fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • Sauce: 5 tbsp rice wine, 2 tsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Step by step

  1. Mix the sauce ingredients in a dish and toss the chicken in it.
  2. Put the longan and jujubes on the chicken with the spring onion, celery and ginger in between.
  3. Cover with aluminium foil and marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. Steam over boiling water for an hour.
  5. Remove the foil and sprinkle with coriander.

Tips

  • If you cannot get black chicken, use a free-range chicken.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 636

    Jujube (red date)

    Ziziphus jujuba

    Traditionally attributed effects: sweet and strengthening in fatigue, anaemia and low energy; builds strength and blood and softens herbal dishes.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 653

    Longan

    Dimocarpus longan

    Traditionally attributed effects: a sweet, warming tonic for heart and blood; good for digestion and calming.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Africa · Food · № 356

    Sesame

    Sesamum indicum

    Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, softens the skin, diuretic, promotes menstruation and milk flow, laxative; leaves for respiratory complaints, diarrhoea and dysentery in children, bladder catarrh; seeds for bleeding haemorrhoids, absent or painful menstruation.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 1

    Ginger

    Zingiber officinale

    Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.