Chinese Duck Soup Recipes

Salted vegetable duck soup is a home-cooked dish, I rarely see it served in food centres or restaurants. I still remember my late grandmother making a big pot of this duck soup during Chinese New Year so that when my uncles and aunts visit, they can enjoy the tender duck and refreshing soup. Not that my relatives do not like to visit my grandmother, it is just that the elders like to put out their best.

I am not a fan of salted vegetable but this is one dish I will dig in heartily. Sigh...I miss my grandmother.

Ingredients

• Half a duck
• 300g salted vegetable
• 30ml cooking oil
• 1 big tomato
• 2 pickled sour plums
• 1 head ginger
• 2 litre soup stock
• 30ml cooking wine

Directions

1. Clean the duck and cut into small pieces
2. Wash and soak the salted vegetable for 10 minutes
3. Slice into thin strips
4. Quarter the tomato and halve the sour plums
5. Heat the cooking oil in a pot
6. Fry the ginger pieces for a few minutes
7. Add the duck pieces and fry for a few minutes
8. Add the stock
9. Bring to a boil and lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes
10. Add the salted vegetable, tomato and sour plums
11. Simmer for another 20 minutes or till the duck's meat is falling off the bone
12. Serve

The next two recipes here are great leftover recipes especially after a great roast duck feast.

This Peking-style duck breast soup is a great soup starter. This is a nice warm brothy dish. It makes a wonderful starter because it is light yet full flavoured, opening up the palate for what is to come.

I think this dish is also suitable for leftover roast duck. Do not remove the skin. Slice it really thin and add to the soup. For a heartier soup, add a handful of pearled barley or jasmine rice.

2. Duck breast soup

• 125g duck breast
• 225g Chinese cabbage or napa cabbage
• 850ml chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• Pinch of ground star anise
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Remove the skin and fats surrounding the duck breast, dice finely
2. Shred the Chinese or napa cabbage
3. Gently heat the cooking oil in a large saucepan
4. Add the garlic and lightly fry for a while before adding the ground star anise
5. Add the chicken stock to the sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil
6. Add the diced duck, shredded cabbage, rice wine, and soy sauce
7. Simmer on a low heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked and the cabbage is soft
8. Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a flat pan on the stovetop or pop into a preheated oven for about 5-10 minutes until fragrant and light golden brown
9. Add the toasted sesame seeds into the soup pot together with chopped parsley
10. Serve warm