Click here for the names of the Hmong herbs
Ingredients Prep time 15mins
Cook Time 55mins
First thing before anything is to get yourself a pot. Fill your 6 quarts or (5,7 L) pour 6 cups of water set it on the stove and turn the stove on to medium heat.
You can use a bigger pot if you enjoy using the liquid over steamed rice. You just need to adjust the seasoning. Season to taste. This option is for non-postpartum consumption.
For postpartum follow directions below. Enjoy.
The purpose of this is that when you get your chicken ready the water is boiling and it’s ready to receive the chicken. You don’t want to overcook the chicken. Overcooked chicken tends to be tough.
It doesn’t have to be 4 of each herb. It can be as many or more. Not less. Because you want the flavor and the good healthy properties of the herbs.
This is what you will need:
- 1 stalk of tauj dub / Lemongrass
- 4 ko taw os or koj liab ntshav / artemisia lactiflora
- 4 nkoj ntshuab / mugwort
- 4 tshuaj rog / Okinawan spinach
- 4 heart shaped leaves nkaj liab caws / Iresine herbstii
- 1 whole stalk of pawj qaib / Acorus gramineus ait or Japanese sweet flag
- 4 leaves kob lauj xeeb / talinum paniculatum
- 3 tops of ntiv / joe-pye-weed
- 6 leaves of Hmab ntsa liab / red malabar spinach it can be either red or green.
- 6 to 8 cups of water
- 1 half fresh (live, not in still living) chicken or small hen
- 2 teaspoon TSP of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon TSP of black pepper/white pepper
Directions:
- Depending on which chicken you use. The fresh chicken I chopped them into big pieces cube them if you like or just pieces. The small hen I boil the whole thing as is. However, it’s up to you on how you want to cook this soup. There’s no right or wrong way to cook this. It’s very simple.
- By now the water should be boiling or close to boiling. Gently put the chicken or pieces of chicken into the hot water. Add salt, pepper, and lemongrass stalk and the acorus gramineus now, wait and let the chicken boil for 20 mins.
- Add all the herbs into the boiling chicken. Let it boil for another 20 to 25 mins. The greens should be wilted.
- Turn the fire to low and let the chicken bath in the herbs simmering for 10 mins. and ready to serve with soft steamed rice. Remember the chicken needs to be soft as well and the greens are totally soft to chew.
There you have it. Hope you enjoy the soup. Yes, only sea salt and white/black pepper. It’s recommended to use white pepper.
