SKIN FOOD: CHICKEN SOUP WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE HERBS

A family recipe for Chinese chicken soup that benefits the skin

People often ask me what I do for my skin, and though I haven’t taught a natural skincare class in several years because it’s something that is now included in Homing Coven, an online community for witches, mystics, magic practitioners, spirit workers, and the ‘strange’ inclined. We emphasize responsible occult practices and nurturing extra-sensory abilities, all within a framework of community healing. And sometimes, we also gather to care for our bodies, such as skin caring intersecting with ritual work and psychic development. Our next Sacred Skin Caring gathering within Homing Coven will be covering:

• Practical skin science and occult science - based skincare.

• What your skin truly needs through Traditional Chinese Medicine face mapping

• How to nourish your skin with plant medicine

• Form practical beauty rituals

• How to harness the Moon’s cycles to support your skin

• We will end with a group shamanic journey for spirit connection and divining.

I’ll also be sharing a list of my favourite, most effective skin foods that promote elasticity, clarity, moisture, and radiance. Until then, below is a recipe to my skin food ‘secret’: Taiwanese-style herbal chicken soup. It provides necessary nutrients, but also considers core TCM elements that look beyond the physiology of the skin and into the spirit. Everyone in my household drinks at least a bowl (often more) a day, regardless of time of the year (I share other immune boosting recipes here). I may adjust the herbs, but the recipe below is an evergreen one. It functions as a stand alone or a versatile base, such as adding some cooked noodles or veggies to a bowl of the soup.

TAIWANESE-STYLE CHICKEN SOUP WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE HERBS

• 1 whole organic raw chicken

• 2 small pieces of raw pork (such as the kind you use for fast fry pork chops)

• 1/4 cup mirin (Asian cooking wine)

• 1 Chinese honey date or 2 Chinese red dates

• 1/4 cup Asian almonds

• 1 slice of ginger

• 1 clove of garlic

• 3-4 dried anchovies (the soup will not taste fishy; the umami and depth it offers is incredible!)

• 1 tsp of chaga powder (chaga can add bitterness; use sparingly)

• 1-2 slices of reishi mushroom (also use sparingly)

• 4 slices of dried astralagus

• 1 piece of snow fungus

• Optional: 1 tbsp of dried goji berries

• Roughly 3+ L of alkaline water

Add all ingredients in a soup pot (clay or cast iron pots make the most delicious soups!) and bring to boil. Sieve out the froth and excess oil as it comes to the top. Turn heat to somewhere between high low or low medium for about 3 hours, keeping the lid on pot for as much as possible so as to not allow the soup to evaporate. (If you need to add a bit of water partway through, do so). Turn off heat and allow the residual heat to continue cooking the soup for another 2 hours. Add sea salt to taste.

Happy cooking (& sipping)!!

Mimi Young

founder and Spirit Communicator

Image credit: Iulia Agnew for Ceremonie

Disclaimer: Mimi Young is not a medical doctor. Please consult your medical professional if you have any specific health needs.