Super tender duck soak in rich and slightly spicy gravy, this tasty Chinese braised duck recipe is a must-try fast, and easy weeknight meal.
Roasting was the only way I knew to cook ducks. I even bought a rotisserie kit for the purpose of it. Don’t get me wrong. I love roast duck. But I also want to bring something new to the table. So I look into the menu of several local Chinese restaurants and found this recipe – Braised duck with young ginger(子姜焖鸭).
As a household dish in Cantonese cuisine, I’ve tried it before but never thought about making it by myself. Partially because young ginger was not always available on the market.
The season of young ginger is around July and August. Last summer, I made Japanese pickle with young ginger, and the results were fantastic. So this year, I decided to use it in the braised duck recipe. I love how flavorful and easy it is at the same time. And if you are also looking for a new duck recipe to try, here is how to make it.
How to make Chinese braised duck with young ginger?
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium-sized duck, about 1 lbs
- 1 1/2 fresh young ginger, about 60 grams
- 20 grams ginger
- 40 grams of shiso leaves (optional)
- 1 scallion
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- A sprinkle of five-spice powder
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon of soybean paste
- 1 tablespoon of Shao Xing cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
Chinese braised duck step-by-step
Preparations
Half an hour before making the recipe, soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water.
Carve the duck and remove the neck, tail, and excess fat. Rinse and pat dry.
Rinse fresh ginger, young ginger, shiso leaves, and scallion with tap water.
Slice fresh and young ginger thinly. As for shiso leaves, remove the stems and chop the rest finely.
Shiso leaves help to enhance the overall flavor. You can switch shiso leaves with 4 to 6 pieces of bay leaves.
Remove the root of the scallion. Then separate the white stem from the green part. Cut the white stems into 2-inch long pieces. And dice the green part for later.
Take the soaked shiitake mushrooms out from the water. Squeeze the water out and cut off the stems. Slice them into thin strips.
Making the braised duck
Bring a pot of water to boil. Blanche the duck for 3 minutes to remove excess fat and impurities.
On a pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add ginger slices and the white stems of scallion to the pan. Sauté until fragrant.
Because the duck skin will release fat during the cooking process, we will need less cooking oil than usual.
Add the blanched duck to the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the sliced young ginger, mushrooms, and Shao Xing wine. Toss the ingredients to cook evenly for about 5 minutes.
Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pan or just enough to soak all the ingredients. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, five-spice powder, soybean paste, and shiso leaves when the liquid boils. Stir to mix the ingredients with the seasoning.
Cover the pan with a lid and let it stew for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and keep an eye on the amount of sauce in the pan. Add water if the sauce starts to dry out.
Open the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high. This step will help thicken the gravy. Sprinkle green scallions on top and add salt to taste. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice.
Have you tried this Chinese ginger duck recipe?
If you love braising recipes, check out the following as well:
Easy Chinese-style Braised Pork Ribs Recipe
Cantonese One-pot Braised Beef Brisket with Daikon Radish
Easy Chinese Braised Chicken with Chestnut Recipe
Chinese Braised Duck with Ginger
Super tender duck soak in rich and slightly spicy gravy, this tasty Chinese braised duck recipe is a must-try fast, and easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs duck
- 40 grams fresh young ginger
- 20 grams ginger
- 40 grams of shiso leaves (optional)
- 1 scallion
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- A sprinkle of five-spice powder
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon of soybean paste
- 1 tablespoon of Shao Xing cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
Instructions
- Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes.
- Carve the duck and remove the neck, tail, and excess fat. Rinse and pat dry.
- Rinse fresh ginger, young ginger, shiso leaves, and scallion with tap water.
- Slice fresh and young ginger thinly. Remove the stems of shiso leaves and chop the rest finely.
- Remove the root of the scallion. Then separate the white stem from the green part. Cut the white stems into 2-inch long pieces. And dice the green part for later.
- Take the soaked shiitake mushrooms out from the water. Squeeze the water out and cut off the stems. Slice them into thin strips.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Blanche the duck for 3 minutes to remove excess fat and impurities.
- On a pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add ginger slices and the white stems of scallion to the pan. Sauté until fragrant.
- Add the blanched duck to the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the sliced young ginger, mushrooms, and Shao Xing wine. Toss the ingredients to cook evenly for about 5 minutes.
- Pour 1/2 cup of water or just enough to soak all the ingredients into the pan. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, five-spice powder, soybean paste, and shiso leaves when the liquid boils. Stir to mix the ingredients with the seasoning.
- Cover the pan with a lid and stew for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and keep an eye on the amount of sauce in the pan. Add water if the sauce starts to dry out.
- Open the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high. This step will help thicken the gravy. Sprinkle green scallions on top and add salt to taste. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice.
Notes
Switch shiso leaves with 4 to 6 pieces of bay leaves if you don't have them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 585Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 849mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 31g
