Herbal Chicken

Eversince I tasted Dong Quai stir-fried Chinese Mustard Greens I'd always thought about creating simple day to day dishes that incooperate Chinese Herbs. That dish was simply exquisite; it was light, refreshing and so delicate tasting. I'd always thought that chinese herbs are only used for long period cooking such as soups or as sweet tonics, not with everyday dishes. So this really open up my mind to other possibilities.

However, all said, I'm never THAT adventurous to try various herbs in regular dishes. This dish is something I created based on a loosely interpreted recipe from my grams and something that is already commercially available, Emperor's Herbal Chicken package (although you can always get your own herbs instead of the pre-packaged ones). I didn't use Dong Quai here, for obvious reasons, it was just too "heaty" for summer consumption. I guess I'll just call this Herbal Chicken then...;)I made it AS a chicken dish so that the whole family can consume.

Recipe
Ingredients
-1/2 chicken (whole preferred but it was just too big for famiy of three)
-Wolfberries, a handful
-Dong Quai, 2 thin slices (usually comes pre-cut if you buy the sliced ones)
-Dang Shen, 2 pieces
-Scallions/Spring Onions, 2-3 stalks
-Ginger, 4-5 thin slices
-Seasame Oil, 2-3 tsp
-Benedictine Dom (herbal liquer) or ShaoXing wine, 2-3tsp
-Soy Sauce, 2 tsp
-Honey, 2-3 TBS
-Dash of sea salt

Method
-Rinse chicken and pat dry.
-Cut spring onions into batons, thinly slice ginger and set aside.
-Rinse all the herbs and set aside. If using Dong Quai and Dong Shen, blanch them quickly in boiing water first. (This will release their fragrance faster and also speed in the cooking process later)
-Then mix sesame oil, Benedictine Dom, soy sauce, honey and sea salt together and rub it on the chicken.
-Put the chicken and its marinade on a heat proof dish (ready for steaming).
-Place the ginger slices inside the chicken cavity or (in this case) under the half chicken.
-Place the herbs and the spring onions in the dish.
-Steam the chicken at medium heat for about 45mins-1hr.
-Ready to serve.

Note: I didn't add Dong Quai and Dang Shen coz I think they might be a little too "warm" for the body with this summer heat. The chicken, ginger, sesame oil and the liquer were already "warm" enough for the dish. You can add more wolfberries if you want, they are good for eye sight and can be eaten as it as a snack! Even for kids. I usually give my little boy a few to munch on. :)