286347 Thu Apr 06 21:13:26 -0700 2000 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1534948 On a whim I recently bought one of the black skinned chickens that are sold in Chinese markets. Although I have a dozen or so Chinese cookbooks I was unable to find a recipe for black chicken so I just roasted it. While it came out a little chewy the flavor was excellent. It tasted just a bit like wild mallard duck. Does anyone out there have any recipes or suggestions for using these birds? Thu Apr 06 21:13:26 -0700 2000 0 Kent 1 1534949 They are usually used for soup in which a few rhizomes are added. All is steamed together. The chicken is discarded and the cup or two of broth is attributed with medicinal powers. Also, a friend made it Thai style in a soup with leomgrass and galanga, not cooked very long. Thu Apr 06 21:46:00 -0700 2000 1534948 0 Allan Evans 2 1535083 For anyone reading this topic, first a caveat: in Chinese medicine all "rhizomes" are NOT equal. Better be sure you know what you're adding to your soup pot and in what quantities it is safe. Many people think herbal medicine is innocuous, but some of these herbs can raise or lower blood pressure or blood sugar and do other potentially dangerous things, so if you have any pre existing conditions take care. Now, if you want to know what to do with a black chicken and rhizomes, there are PLENTY of bilingual medicine books and cookbooks in Chinese bookstores online and in Chinatowns all over. Black chicken is considered a tonic food, especially for pregnant women. You can change the specific direction of the tonic action by adding different herbs when you stew it, but just putting it up with a couple of slices of ginger and a dash of chinese rice wine will give you a nice, safe, tasty broth and someplace to start without making a trip to the herbalist. Tue May 30 16:43:31 -0700 2000 1534949 0 Maria Eng 3 1535084 Would you recommend a bi-lingual recipe book (or English only if necessary) which describes the rhizomes and other medicinal additions to cuisine (including the Latin name for surmounting regional differences in pronunciation)? Would be most grateful! (I have the recipe written down, dictated, with the correect rhizome, but must root it out :) Thanks for your thoughtful post. Tue May 30 21:33:35 -0700 2000 1535083 0 Allan Evans 4 1535092 My apologies for the delay in posting... I really don't know offhand about a book for a complete listing of Latin/English/Chinese names of these herbs since I don't own one; you might do better with a web search. I do remember seeing one or two "Alternative Medicine"-type books about the subject being sold on Barnes and Noble.com or Amazon.com. You might already have found those. Two books I do own are "Soups for all Seasons" ISBN 962-365-344-1 and "Stewed Clear Soup" ISBN 962-365-248-8. They are part of an extensive series of bilingual cookbooks that are easy to find in Chinese bookstores in NYC. K&B Book and Stationery on Bowery in lower Manhattan and World Journal Bookstore in Flushing, Queens both carry the series, which covers all facets of Chinese cooking. These books cover everyday soups, NOT prescription soups. All the same, I wouldn't drink the same soup many days in a row to avoid a possible cumulative effect. Some recipes are delicious, some truly "Blah", and you will get an honest picture of what these soups are all about (combinations and proportions of ingredients) without any New Age hype. My only regret is that while the English translations for the recipes are excellent, they stupidly didn't translate the small section at the top of each recipe that tells you what the soup is supposed to be good for. A Chinese/English dictionary might come in handy if you're really into this. Lastly, if you want to try cooking some soups for yourself, take the book to an herb store, where a clerk can read the Chinese, get you the right ingredients and help you label them correctly. After you do this a few times, you may feel confident enough to purchase things in bulk at a Chinese supermarket. Chinese/English transliterations in my experience are still a shaky affair. Since there is more than one system of transliteration and more than one major spoken dialect, your pronunciation might not "fit" someone else's ears. Your only true friend in this situation is written Chinese. BTW, I believe black chickens ARE what Westerners call "Silkies". Once, I took an Irish friend of mine to a Chinese supermarket, and while she was somewahat shaken by the butcher's section, she perked up when she saw the black chickens and told me about raising silkies in the 4-H as a girl on the family farm. Tue Jul 25 01:56:57 -0700 2000 1535084 0 Maria Eng 1 1535007 My understanding is the black chickens are believed to have medicinal value for pregnant women. I also understand that the breed Japanese Silky has black skin. I don't know if the chicken in the market is the same breed. Wed Apr 12 01:41:03 -0700 2000 1534948 0 John 2 1535010 When pregnant a woman, Thai but of Chinese descent, who co-owned a Thai restaurant where I once worked ate a black chicken prescribed by her Chinese doctor. She stewed it at the restaurant and when she showed it to me I thought she was offering me a taste. She quickly said "not for you, it's my medicine!" It was all black - the chicken, the liquid and herbs - and looked pretty awful. I should have asked her how it tasted. Wed Apr 12 05:55:23 -0700 2000 1535007 0 Pwron 1 1535110 Black chicken is beneficial for strengthening both yin and yang. One could use Chinese dates, dried tangerine peel, astragalus, lycii and codonopsitis. These herbs used in a small quantity can benefit most people. They are used to promote blood and qi. Cook with some ginger and garlic, scallion and water. If one has too much heat then omit spices and astragalus. Sat Apr 14 18:17:30 -0700 2001 1534948 0 Miiki