Glehnia Root, Polygonatum, and Duck Stew

Why people make this stew

Thyroid disorders are surprisingly common, and in recent years Nourilo has noticed more and more readers reaching out about hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in particular. From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, hyperthyroidism often involves a pattern of yin deficiency — the body’s cooling, nourishing resources are depleted, leading to visible weight loss (especially in the arms and thighs), persistent fatigue, feelings of internal heat, excessive thirst, and dry cough. Duck is one of the most yin-nourishing meats in Chinese food therapy, considered cool in nature and well-suited for those with heat-related conditions. When combined with glehnia root and polygonatum (both prized for moistening lung and stomach yin), the result is a stew that is delicately flavoured, deeply nourishing, and appropriately cooling for the hyperthyroid constitution. The same stew is also well suited for people with diabetes or yin deficiency with heat signs.

Method

1. Rinse and briefly soak the glehnia root, polygonatum, and tangerine peel; set aside.
2. Clean the duck thoroughly; blanch in boiling water for a few minutes to remove impurities; drain and set aside.
3. Place all ingredients into a double-boiler pot (dun zhong) or a deep heatproof bowl suitable for steaming.
4. Add 900 ml of boiling water.
5. Cover and place over a pot of simmering water; double-boil for 2–3 hours.
6. Serve the stew and eat the solid ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

This dish is naturally sweet and flavourful — the clean, slightly cool character of duck pairs beautifully with the moistening herbs. The whole family can enjoy it even if they have no thyroid concerns, making it a practical year-round dish. Double-boiling (rather than open-pot simmering) produces a cleaner, more delicate broth and is the preferred method here. For breastfeeding mothers: the tangerine peel has a mild effect on milk production; substituting fresh ginger or simply discarding the peel after cooking is a sensible precaution.