Winter Melon, Fresh Lotus Seed and Wild Duck Soup

Why people make this soup

Passing a supermarket one day, I found a fresh batch of frozen wild duck on special — and it was genuinely fresh. Most frozen wild duck these days is farmed rather than truly wild, but at least it isn’t as fatty as ordinary table duck. Simmered with winter melon and fresh lotus seeds, this soup is traditionally taken to nourish yin, support the stomach and clear heat — a good choice for people who are short on sleep or feel an “overheated, yin-deficient” warmth.

Method

1. Rinse the winter melon (keep the skin) and cut into chunks. Remove the bitter cores from the fresh lotus seeds.
2. Cut up the wild duck and blanch it.
3. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Simmer for about 3 hours, then enjoy the soup and the solids together.

Nourilo’s Tips

Wild duck and table duck are nutritionally similar, but wild duck tends to be richer in vitamins and minerals, making it especially suitable for those who are yin-deficient with thin blood. This soup is traditionally regarded as helpful for poor appetite after illness, mild fluid puffiness, and an overheated yin-deficient feeling.