Yam and pumpkin chicken soup

Wear food-safe gloves to peel and cut yam and use chestnuts with shell and inner skin removed. Wash, seed and cut pumpkin and wash and pit dates. Handle raw chicken separately and do not rinse it; wash hands and clean the board and knife afterward.

Keep steamer water below the plate within the safe fill line. Steam pumpkin in a heatproof dish over boiling water, monitoring and safely topping up hot water to prevent the pot drying out, until a skewer easily passes through its thickest part. Remove with mitts and, once safe to handle, scoop out and mash the flesh.

Start chicken, ginger and wine in cold water. Once boiling, skim and set a 3 min check, then lift out and drain. Keep the ginger with the chicken and discard the blanching water.

Put chicken, ginger, yam and chestnuts in a clean pot, just cover with water, bring to a boil and reduce to gentle bubbling. Set a 30 min first check and watch the liquid. The thickest chicken must ultimately reach 74°C.

Stir pumpkin puree into the broth and add pitted dates. Set a 10 min check once gentle bubbling resumes and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Confirm chicken reaches 74°C and yam and chestnut centers are tender, then season with salt.

Turn off the heat, ladle into bowls and cool slightly before eating, watching for bones.