Chicken Essence Broth

My mother is a strong believer in homemade soup, and this is one of them. It is cooked by steaming or double boiling the chicken in a separate container to collect its essence or juice. The chicken essense is in its purest form with no water added. The essense from this broth is nutritious for one's health and especially beneficial for those pre- and/or post-operation/maternity. Whenever I am feeling letargic I cook this to boost my energy. As a matter of fact, it is good if you can have this soup at least once or twice a month. It may be a bit time consuming, and I think it is worth the effort! You can prepare them ahead of time in batches and freeze them. I recommend using organic free-range chicken!
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs organic chicken (free-range)
8-10 quart pot
1 steaming stand (can be purchased in Chinese grocery stores)
1 deep dish
aluminium foil
Method:
1. Clean chicken, trim excess fat and pat dry. Place chicken in a deep clear bowl to collect the juice.
2. Put the steaming stand in the pot, then carefully put in the chicken. Fill with water in the pot to reach 1/4 way up the bowl, making sure not to get water into the bowl.

3.Tent the chicken with foil and cover with another larger pot as a lid. Turn heat on high and bring to a fast boil for about 15 minutes. Lower heat and cook for another hour. Check the water level in the pot, add more water if necessary. Cook for another 2 hours. Be careful as it is hot--use a pair of tongs!

4 The chicken is done when you see the meat is soft to touch and the broth in the bowl. It should come up halfway or more depending on the size of your chicken.

5. Turn off heat and let cool. Remove foil and chicken from the pot. Pour broth through a sieve to remove residue. To remove fat, simply place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer to set the fat and remove it with a spoon. Drink it warm without any seasoning.
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