Herbal Chicken Soup for confinement

During confinement, which is the period of time after giving birth when new mothers traditionally rest and recuperate, it is important to eat nutritious and easy-to-digest foods to help the body heal and regain strength. Here is a recipe for a traditional confinement dish that is both healthy and delicious:

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

1 piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of Goji berries

2 tablespoons of red dates

2 tablespoons of wolfberries

2 tablespoons of dried longan

2 tablespoons of dried lotus seeds

2 tablespoons of dried lily bulbs

Salt to taste

Instruction:

1. Rinse the chicken and place it in a large pot. Cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil.
2. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, Goji berries, red dates, wolfberries, dried longan, dried lotus seeds, and dried lily bulbs.
4. Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred the meat.
6. Season the soup with salt to taste.
7. Serve the soup hot, with the shredded chicken on top.

This recipe is rich in nutrients that are beneficial for postpartum recovery, like collagen from the chicken, antioxidants from the berries and longan and minerals from the lotus seeds, lily bulbs and red dates. It also helps to replenish fluids and electrolytes that were lost during labor, and is gentle on the stomach, easy to digest and comforting to eat.