Chinese Chicken with Goji Berries and Red Dates

This Chinese traditional recipe uses 2 ingredients with many health benefits, that is, red dates and goji berries. Red dates, also known as jujubes, Chinese dates or 红枣(hóng zǎo), are a significant ingredient in many Chinese dishes. They usually come as stoned dates, but there are varieties sold without the stone inside. There are also honeyed red dates, jujube vinegar or the dried red dates, which we will be using in this recipe. It is widely believed that red dates can alleviate stress and soothe a sore throat. Goji berries (枸杞-gǒuqǐ,wolfberries or kei chee as we call them in home) are also very often used in Chinese cooking. Goji berries benefits include helping for vision-related problems and inflammatory diseases.

Wolfberries, Goji Berries, Kei chee

My mom sent me and my siblings the recipe last week,and the picture in the beginning was the one she did back in home. The one at the end of the post is the one I did

Chinese Chicken with Goji Berries and Red Dates recipe

Ingredients:
1 tbsp dried goji berries washed and soaked in warm water
5 dried red dates washed and soaked in warm water
2 mushrooms washed and soaked in warm water, cut in quarters

A  1 whole chicken medium size or 3 drumsticks washed

B  1 cup boiling water
1tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp wine
1 tsp MSG or chicken powder

C  1tsp soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
1tsp wine

Steps:
1. Put water to boil, when boiled add the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. Remove chicken, set aside, discard water.
3. Combine ingredients A with ingredients B.
4. Combine ingredients C with mushroom and saute in a wok.
5. Place goji berry seeds and red dates in a bowl enough to contain the whole chicken.
6. Add boiling water to blanched chicken and add in mushroom.
7. Put in a “steaming” steamer for 1-2 hours cooking slowly, that is, on low heat.
8. The chicken will cook in the broth without boiling.

Notes: “steaming” steamer means you let the water in the steamer boil first, then as steam is coming out, you put the chicken to steam.

Chinese chicken thighs with goji seeds and red dates