-
Preparation
15 minutes
-
Cooking
45 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Goat leg stew with traditional herbs and mugwort is not just considered a regular dish but is also a remedy that is both nutritious and delicious. The way to prepare this dish is not too complicated, let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to make this delicious and nutritious soup!
Ingredients for Goat Leg Stew with Traditional Herbs and Mugwort Serves 4 people
Goat leg 1 kg (about 2 pieces) Goat neck bones 500 gr Mugwort 500 gr Water spinach 300 gr Traditional herbs 200 gr (1 pack) Common spices a little (Salt/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ seasoning/ pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh goat legs
- Choose goat legs with intact hooves that are not broken; this indicates that the goat legs are fresh.
- The meat should be bright pink, with no fishy smell, and should have a firm texture when pressed.
- Additionally, it is advisable to choose the goat legs first because they have thinner, softer, sweeter meat and more tendons, which makes them more tender, absorb spices better, and taste better when cooked in stews.
How to choose good wormwood
- Choose young wormwood to avoid bitterness in the soup.
- Choose wormwood with light green leaves on the top and dark green on the underside, with the leaf blades extending down to the stem.
- Select wormwood leaves that are still fresh and green, not wilted or yellowed.
How to choose fresh water spinach
- When choosing water spinach, select bunches where the stems are of moderate size, not too large or too small.
- Bunches of water spinach that are too uniformly sized, with excessively vibrant green leaves, are often treated with chemicals or growth stimulants that are not good for health.
- Choose bunches that are still fresh and green, not wilted or yellowing.
Where to buy Chinese medicine?
You can buy a package of Chinese medicine to cook this dish at traditional medicine stores to ensure quality. The price for a package of Chinese medicine ranges from 50,000 – 100,000 VND/ 200gr (price updated in April 2021).
How to Prepare Goat Leg Stewed with Traditional Medicine and Mugwort
-
Prepare the Goat Meat
When you buy goat legs, use a knife to scrape off any remaining hair (if any), then wash the goat legs and goat neck bones with salt water and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
To eliminate the strong odor of the goat legs and goat neck bones, prepare a pot of boiling water and blanch them for 2 – 3 minutes over high heat, then remove and rinse again with water.
Effective Ways to Remove Goat Meat Odor
- Method 1: Use salt/vinegar/lemon/white alcohol to rub on the goat legs, use a razor blade to scrape off dirt and remaining hair, then rinse with clean water.
- Method 2: Before cooking, blanch the goat legs in boiling water for about 2 – 3 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
- Method 3: Use a mini gas torch set to medium or burn leftover newspaper and straw to lightly char the goat legs, effectively removing the coarse hair on the surface of the goat skin. However, you should use a mini gas torch for convenience and better flame control to avoid burning the goat legs.
-
Prepare Other Ingredients
Mugwort should be picked for the leaves and tender parts at the top, discarding any wilted or damaged leaves. Rinse the mugwort thoroughly through 2 – 3 washes of water and then place it in a colander to drain.
Water spinach should also be picked for the leaves and tender parts at the top, discarding any wilted or damaged leaves, wash clean, and let drain.
-
Stew goat legs
Place the pot on the stove, turn on medium heat, add 2 liters of water to simmer the herbal medicine for 15 minutes over medium heat.
Next, add the goat neck bones. Season with 1 tablespoon of seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate.
Cover the pot and simmer for another 15 – 20 minutes until the goat neck bones are cooked, then add the goat legs and stew for an additional 10 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, add water spinach and cook until done, then remove to a bowl, add mugwort and cook for an additional 3 minutes, then turn off the stove.
Tip:
- To make the broth clearer and tastier, during the stewing process, if you see any scum rising, use a spoon to skim it off.
- Cook the water spinach first and remove it before adding the mugwort, as adding mugwort will make the broth slightly bitter, and many people might not be able to eat it, so they can eat the water spinach instead.
-
Final Product
You can scoop the soup into a bowl and enjoy it right away.
The finished dish has a distinctive aroma of traditional medicine and mugwort. The goat legs are soft and delicious, still maintaining the chewy texture of the skin without being too mushy, accompanied by perfectly seasoned spices.
This dish can be enjoyed on its own or served with noodles or hot rice, both are delicious, and dipping it in chili fish sauce is fantastic.
What is Mugwort?
- The plant mugwort is scientifically named Artemisia absinthium, which is a highly valued herb with a special fragrance, used as a medicinal herb beneficial for health.
- Mugwort has a silvery white or greenish silver stem, yellow-green leaves, and flower buds that are bright or light yellow.
- Mugwort has many beneficial effects such as: Pain relief, antioxidant properties, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, etc.
With just a little time and a few simple steps, you can immediately have a dish of stewed goat legs with medicinal herbs and mugwort that is both delicious and nutritious for the whole family. Wishing you success and a truly delightful meal!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel AM THUC TAI GIA.
