Food & Receipts

“A Tasty Summer Escape: Discover the Joy of Pork, a Seasonal Favorite”

Nutritious and refreshing, duck dishes are not only delicious but also specially beneficial for the body.

16 February, 2024

July and August are the months when ducks are said to be at their most delicious. These plump ducks, with minimal down feathers, offer tender, fragrant, and fatty meat. Duck meat is incredibly versatile and can be transformed into a plethora of mouth-watering dishes. Beyond tantalizing your taste buds with its irresistible aroma, duck meat is also a nutritional powerhouse.

In traditional Chinese medicine, duck meat is believed to possess cooling properties, benefiting the skin and internal organs. It helps clear heat and relieve dysentery, while also reducing cough and phlegm, making it especially suitable for those with weak constitutions, loss of appetite, dry stools, and edema. Additionally, duck meat is rich in essential nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins A, B, and E, along with an array of trace elements that promote overall health. It is also an excellent source of niacin, a type of enzyme that provides exceptional protection for the cardiovascular system.

Nutritionists recommend consuming duck meat over beef or pork due to its superior nutritional profile. Here is a delectable duck recipe for your culinary pleasure:

Braised Duck with Ginger

Ingredients

– 1 duck

– Ginger

Cooking Instructions

– Clean the duck thoroughly, then cut it into pieces and place them in a clean pot. Add a bowl of cold water, shredded ginger, and cooking wine to the pot, and bring it to a boil. Remove the duck pieces from the pot and rinse them with water. This process helps eliminate any unpleasant odors from the meat.

– Place the blanched duck into a clean pot and use chopsticks to stir the meat continuously over low heat until some of the fat is rendered out. Then, turn off the heat.

– Heat a separate clean pan on the stove, add cooking oil, and sauté the duck pieces until they turn brown. Season with a dash of light soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, rock sugar, and a bowl of warm water. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

– When the duck is cooked, add ginger and chili peppers, stirring them together. Cover and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Then, turn up the heat, add a dash of oyster sauce, and stir well until the sauce becomes sticky. At this point, you can turn off the heat.

– Serve the braised duck on a plate, and enjoy it with hot steamed rice for a truly satisfying meal.

Other Delicious Duck Dishes

Chao-Marinated Grilled Duck

Despite its seemingly simple appearance, this dish demands meticulous attention to detail to achieve the perfect flavor. After marinating the duck in a savory chao sauce, it is grilled to golden perfection. The result is tender and juicy meat that pairs exquisitely with pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and a dipping sauce made from chao.

Duck Grilled with Mac Mat Leaves

This dish is a specialty of Northern Vietnam, where the distinctive aroma of mac mat leaves is used to marinate the duck. The leaves impart a subtle, nutty fragrance to the meat, preventing it from becoming overly greasy. Combined with the sweetness of honey and the robust flavors of spices, the mac mat leaves create an unforgettable culinary experience.

Van Dinh Grilled Duck

A culinary gem of Hanoi, this dish captivates diners with its distinctive flavor. The duck meat is grilled to a crisp, glossy finish, exuding an irresistible aroma. Whether dipped in chao sauce or a sweet and sour fish sauce, each bite is a burst of pure delight.

Frequently asked questions

Duck is said to be at its most delicious during July and August. The plump ducks have minimal down feathers, resulting in tender, fragrant, and fatty meat. Duck meat is versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. In terms of nutrition, it is believed to have cooling properties in traditional Chinese medicine, benefiting the skin and internal organs. Duck also contains essential nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins A, B, and E, as well as trace elements and niacin, which promote cardiovascular health.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, duck meat is thought to have a cooling effect on the body. It helps clear heat and relieve dysentery, reduces cough and phlegm, and is suitable for those with weak constitutions, loss of appetite, dry stools, and edema.

There are several delectable duck dishes that showcase the versatility of this meat. One recommendation is ‘Braised Duck with Ginger’, which involves braising the duck with ginger, soy sauce, cooking wine, and other spices. ‘Chao-Marinated Grilled Duck’ is another option, where the duck is marinated in a savory chao sauce and grilled to perfection. For a Northern Vietnamese specialty, try ‘Duck Grilled with Mac Mat Leaves’, where the distinctive aroma of the leaves adds a subtle, nutty fragrance to the meat. Finally, ‘Van Dinh Grilled Duck’ is a culinary gem from Hanoi, known for its distinctive flavor and irresistible aroma.

To prepare the duck for the ‘Braised Duck with Ginger’ recipe, first clean the duck thoroughly and cut it into pieces. Blanch the meat by boiling it with ginger and cooking wine, then rinse. Render some of the fat out of the duck by heating it in a pot over low heat. Next, sauté the duck pieces in a separate pan with cooking oil until they are browned. Add seasonings like light soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, rock sugar, and a bowl of warm water. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Finally, add ginger and chili peppers, stirring until the sauce thickens. Finish with a dash of oyster sauce and serve the braised duck with hot steamed rice.