Lan Lan's Chicken Soup

This recipe was inspired by our friend Lan Lan. She wanted to bring us some food during the first few weeks following Gerritt's birth, however, she "couldn't cook." So this soup is Lan Lan's version of preparing a meal with minimal effort & skill involved. I revised this Asian classic by adding a few more ingredients, but the idea is the same. This soup is delicious, aromatic & qi-nourishing (read more about supporting qi here).

Ingredients:
1 whole organic chicken
4-inch fresh ginger root, sliced
5-6 medium cloves of garlic, sliced (or less/more depending on your taste preference)
4-5 dried dates
4-5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (can use dry shiitakes as well, soak in water prior to adding to soup)
3-4 dry cardamom pods
1 oz or more of dry black fungus (soak in water prior to adding to soup & cut in bite-size pieces or cut in strips)
Water, enough to cover the chicken
Salt to taste

Clean the chicken under cold running water & cut off any excess fat. Place the whole chicken into 5.5-quart pot, cover with filtered water. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring the pot to a boiling point, then turn to simmer. Cook the chicken for up to 2 hours, or until meat is tender & falls of the bones easily.

Remove the sliced ginger & cardamom pods.

Serve with brown rice & kim chi (or other Korean-style pickled vegetables).

Side notes:
- All of the above ingredients may be bought at a specialty Asian grocery store(like Uwajimaya).
- Black fungus, while almost tasteless, is rich in iron & has a crunchy texture.
- Cardamom pods are often used in African, Indian & Middle Eastern cooking. They have a unique smoky flavor.

Thanks, Lan Lan!