Braised Chicken with Ginko, Lotus & Water Chestnut (Ga Tiem Bạch Quã)

April 14, 2016May Ly

A traditional Vietnamese dish I grew up eating often served during special days such as the lunar new year (Tét). I never knew growing up how lucky I was that mum regularly cooked with all these amazing superfoods such as gingko biloba, goji berries and lotus nuts. Such common ingredients in Asian cooking! This Braised Chicken with Ginko, Lotus & Water Chestnut is a simple one pot recipe that produces a delicious soft fall off the bone chicken that is naturally sweetened with coconut water, goji berries and Chinese dates.

I always try to include a few ‘superfood’ ingredients as I really believe everything you put in your mouth should not only satisfy your taste buds but nourish, heal and assist your body in being at its best. This all started with our healing journey. If your meal doesn’t contain any superfoods you can also boost it up with a side of fermented vegetables or a glass of Kombucha. In this case, 6 out of the 9 ingredients here can be considered a superfood! Check them out below or scroll straight down for the recipe!

Lotus Seeds are used in many South East Asian dishes including desserts and traditional herbal medicine. They are a good source of protein, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, the bitter hearts are known to be useful to help aid sleep and can be used as a tea. They can be eaten raw after the outer shell is removed, or boiled, steamed or roasted.Gingko Biloba is used in traditional Chinese medicine to boost circulation to the brain and aid with memory loss. I grew up eating Gingko in congee and soups and also in this dish, we ate it moderately with about 5-6 gingko nuts per bowl Too much of a good thing isn’t always a great idea, don’t gorge on them as they can cause nasty side affects and careful with handling fresh gingko as it can cause blisters (use gloves and cook them first)

Goji Berries are known as one of the most potent anti-oxidant rich foods and considered in traditional Chinese medicine to boost the libido and increase stamina. They contain 400 times the vitamin C found in oranges and many other essential vitamins and minerals. Goji’s also contain 2 essential antioxidants (zeaxanthin and lutein) vital for eye health. They are great for snacking on and I usually add them to our home made seed, fruit and almond mix.

Dried Chinese Red Dates also known as jujube’s, contain a wide array of different nutrients and 20 times the amount of Vitamin C than any other citrus fruit. Studies has shown that the jujube and extracts can help lower blood pressure, reverse liver disease (source)

Ginger known for it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, ginger is great for nausea, morning sickness and tummy upsets. It also helps boost the metabolism and aid in weight loss. Read more of the benefits here and try out my tea recipe here.

Coconut Water nature’s sports drink, rich in Vitamins (especially B’s) and trace elements, it is 95% water and a great hydration choice. It’s rich in electrolytes and natural salts and my go to drink for the kids when they are unwell with a tummy bug. I’m lucky to have fresh coconuts delivered to my house each week since I moved to Vietnam, back home in Sydney I bought coconut water in the tetra paks (look for coconuts from Thailand if buying in the packs as they are the sweetest)