Minimum Viable Meal (MVM): When the First Course becomes the final course
A Lunar New Year story about American Ginseng chicken bone broth, resilience, and how a “minimum viable meal” became the entire celebration.
Did you know that Wisconsin is the capital of American ginseng root production?
This Lunar New Year, a planned dumpling night turned into something else entirely: a bowl of American ginseng chicken bone broth that became the entire meal.
In product terms, the MVP shipped on time… and nobody asked for additional features.
American vs. Korean Ginseng
American vs. Korean Ginseng: Why It Matters
It sounds like trivia —and it’s true: Most of the world’s American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is grown in Wisconsin, prized across Asia for its balance and quality. To be clear, the ginseng in Asia is very different from the American varietal- and many Americans have never heard of it.
Not all ginseng is the same.
Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng)
Warming • Stimulating • Energizing • Yang
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
Cooling • Calming • Restorative • Yin
The Fire Horse symbolizes momentum and bold forward energy. American ginseng provides the grounding balance — cooling the celebration and keeping the meal centered.
Balance is everything. Fire must meet calm.
The Question Beneath the Question
When we ask if someone has heard of American ginseng or made dumplings from scratch, we’re really asking something deeper:
When was the last time you cooked something on purpose? Not for efficiency. Not for performance. But for meaning.
When the Plan Pivoted
The roadmap was clear:
Build broth
Fold dumplings
Feast
We paused to sip a bowl before starting the dumplings.
And then… we never made them. The soup was enough.
No backlog. No phase two. No iteration required.
The Minimum Viable Meal — and the Art of the Pivot
An MVP — Minimum Viable Product — is the smallest version that delivers meaningful value.
This broth delivered:
Warmth
Connection
Presence
Celebration
Resilience is the ability to relentlessly pivot as contexts change. The plan was dumplings. The experience was soup. The outcome was fulfillment.
That’s not failure. That’s alignment.
Enter the Year of the Fire Horse
Fire Horse energy is bold and forward-moving. But even fire needs stillness. Momentum needs reflection. Progress needs curiosity.
Not every plan must be completed to be fulfilled.
Pause.
Notice what is already complete.
Give thanks for the pivots.
Happy Lunar New Year! 恭喜發財！
Here’s to galloping into the Year of the Fire Horse with intention, resilience, and curiosity.
Minimum Viable Meal- American Ginseng Chicken Soup
This isn’t just chicken soup. It is built intentionally in three phases.
PHASE 1: BUILD THE FIRE — CHICKEN BROTH
Roasted chicken begins the story. Heat, aroma, momentum.
Into the pot:
Chicken bones and meat for strength
Red dates for sweetness and prosperity
Dried tangerine peel for harmony
Mung beans to gently clear heat
American ginseng to cool and center
Ginger to balance the stomach
This phase builds the foundation.
PHASE 2: EXTRACT THE GOODNESS — BONE BROTH
The quiet phase. The patient phase.
Bones return to the pot for a long simmer. Collagen, minerals, and depth slowly emerge. What began as broth becomes something richer and more sustaining.
This is resilience in action.
PHASE 3: SKIM THE FAT AND ADD THE TREASURE — FINISH
The broth chills. The fat lifts away. Clarity appears.
Final additions:
Goji berries for brightness and longevity
Shimeji mushrooms for elegance and umami
Yu choy for growth and renewal
Now the soup becomes celebration.
Justin Tang is the voice behind Just In Perspective, a new blog where food, personal experience, and business thinking come together. With a 25-year career in transformation and operations, he approaches cooking the same way he approaches change: with curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to adapt. From the kitchen to the workplace, Justin explores how real-world methods and shared experiences shape how we grow.
