Young Ginger and Sour Plum Braised Duck

Why people make this dish

Young ginger (zi jiang) comes into season once a year, and every year Nourilo makes a batch of pickled young ginger to keep in the fridge — sliced thin and preserved in a sweet-sour brine, it works as an appetite-opening pre-meal nibble or as a flavour accent in cooking. This particular dish, braised duck stuffed with pickled ginger and sour plums, is more involved than an everyday weeknight dinner, but the payoff is generous: one whole duck stretches across two or three meals, and the sweet-tart-savory braising sauce transforms into a gloriously sticky glaze. In traditional food therapy, young ginger, sour plum and duck together are considered a warming, digestive-supporting combination.

Method

1. Wash and dry the duck thoroughly. Combine melted maltose (or honey) with a little soy sauce and brush the mixture evenly all over the outside of the duck. Hang or prop the duck to air-dry.
2. Remove the stones from the sour plums. Crush the sour plums together with the slab sugar. Stuff this mixture, along with the pickled young ginger, into the cavity of the duck. Seal the cavity shut with a bamboo skewer.
3. Heat a wok over medium-low heat. Place the whole stuffed duck into the wok and turn slowly to pan-fry all sides until evenly golden brown. Pour off the rendered fat.
4. Place a bamboo rack or trivet in the bottom of a deep pot to prevent sticking. Rest the duck breast-side down and add just enough water to cover the back. Add rice wine and seasoning.
5. Cover tightly and braise over low heat for about 30 minutes. Then carefully flip the duck and braise for another 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky.
6. Remove the stuffing from the cavity and set aside. Chop the duck into pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Bring the ginger and braising sauce to a boil, pour over the duck and serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

If you do not have maltose, honey works perfectly as a substitute. Placing a bamboo mat at the bottom of the pot prevents the duck from sticking and burning. The pickled young ginger Nourilo uses in this recipe is homemade: scrape the ginger skin, slice thinly, toss with one tablespoon of coarse salt to draw out moisture, place in a colander and air-dry for two hours, then submerge in cooled sweet-and-sour brine (sugar and vinegar cooked together) and store in a cool spot. It takes about four to five months to fully mature, but is wonderful to have on hand. For the sour plums, look for them at sauce or condiment shops, or at general grocery stores. Pork ribs can replace the duck if preferred.