What Do Korean People Eat When Sick?
Soup.
Korean Chicken Soup for the Soul.
In North America, chicken soup is the go-to when a person gets sick. Korea also turns to gentle chicken broth but amps it up with the addition of an entire chicken, garlic, ginseng and jujubes to deliver a comfort food powerhouse that will work to support your body in fighting off illness.
For the seriously ill or for those who don’t have appetite, Jook 죽 is a plain, bland rice porridge (rice cooked in more water than usual) and is often served by moms to sick children and also to those recuperating in the hospital.
Samgyetang is what Korean people eat when sick because its combination of chicken soup and rice porridge is seen as a gentle but filling way to recover and boost energy. I like to make it at least once a month, because hey, it’s delicious.
Ta-Da! A delicious, comforting Korean meal.
Many people outside of Korea make this dish with Cornish Hen because this dish is meant to be an individual serving. An entire, young chicken is placed in a stone pot, its cavity stuffed with sweet glutinous rice.
Regular rice can be used in a pinch, but though glutinous rice (stickier and sweeter) is high on the glycemic index, it is gentlest for digestion which is ideal when a person is ill. Plenty of garlic (immune booster!), ginseng (immune booster!) and jujubes aka Korean dates (immune booster!) are added.
What Does Samgyetang mean?
Sam 삼 refers to Ginseng (인삼), Gye 계 means Chicken and Tang 탕 is for Soup. Interesting, huh?
When Do Korean People Eat Samgyetang?
Not only a popular chicken soup to eat when cold season starts, Samgyetang is also enjoyed in the dog days of summer. Derived from traditional Eastern medicine theory, you can find respite from heat by adding more heat; Fighting fire with fire.
Every year Korea will designate 3 days as Sambok 삼복 (according to the lunar calendar) as the hottest days usually falling between July and August. The first date is called Chobok 초복 (Beginning), 10 days later it would be Jungbok 중복 (Middle) and 20 days after that would finish with Malbok 말복 (End).
Apparently, Samgyetang restaurants in Korea will have lineups out their doors on these days. I can’t say it really appeals to me to “sweat the heat out” (although OPPA the spice addict loves to sweat while eating!) but it’s seems like one of those gotta-try-before-you-die kind of things 🤣.
What Does Samgyetang Taste Like?
Growing up in a Korean household, it’ll be difficult for me to try to describe it to someone trying it for the first time. Think of the most comforting thing you had when you were a kid, with a huge stomachache feeling small and vulnerable.
Then remember back to when someone made you something hot and soothing and how loved it made you feel. It tastes like that ❤️. It’s a loving hug, presented in a dangerously boiling pot.
If I tried to explain it another way, Samgyetang is definitely blander than North American chicken soup because there aren’t herbs like bay leaves or celery (which adds particular frangrant flavours). However, for the unitiated, you may find ginseng rather strong.
Ginseng is earthy and bitter. Dates add a nutty sweetness. These are what will differentiate its flavour profile the most. Otherwise, I can’t imagine people finding anything overly unfamiliar about it!
Well, other than the fact it’s also rice porridge in there and you eat it with kimchi lol.
How to Eat Korean Samgyetang
Based on my hotel Samgyetang experience as shown in the pics of this article:
Add green onion garnish to mega-hot soup.
Add salt and pepper to taste (remember you eat it with kimchi so don’t make it overly salty!).
Pick morsels of chicken which will be easy as it’s fall-off-the-bone tender.
Dip in salt & pepper and enjoy the juiciest, tenderest chicken ever.
Add rice to soup and make into a hearty stew consistency. Alternatively, scoop some rice unto spoon and dip into soup. Or eat everything separately, you are the Eater, you decide.
Have bite of kimchi for some welcome saltiness and to find reprieve from the hot, hot soup.
Discard chicken bones you come across in empty bowl provided.
At first, I was confused at why they would serve 3 different types of kimchi (cucumber, cabbage, radish) but as I ate it, it was so enjoyable to eat it with a variety of kimchi.
The typical cabbage kimchi is still my favourite, but I have to admit, the radish one was also really good and the cucumber one was a surprise match with this soup. I absolutely ate all the bowls clean.
Samgyetang is meant to be on the bland side to enjoy with Kimchi.
I love to nibble on ginseng, but be aware if you’re on certain meds or have health issues that may not jive with this medicinal herb.
