Braised Duck (Jiang Ya)

Name: Braised Duck (Jiang Ya)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 (about 1500 g) whole duck (preferably a plump Nanjing duck, washed and blanched to remove blood); 20 g scallion segments; 20 g ginger slices; 20 g cinnamon bark; 13 g fennel seeds; 8 g red yeast rice (use sparingly to avoid toxins); rice wine, to taste; 130 g rock sugar; light soy sauce, to taste; salt (to rub inside the cavity), to taste; sesame oil (for final drizzle), to taste; 1100 g water (for cooking liquid)

A traditional Shanghai autumn specialty, this dish features a whole cleaned duck slowly braised with scallion, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and red yeast rice. The finished duck has a deep reddish-purple hue with a savory-sweet, aromatic flavor.

2h 20m

Easy

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Ingredients

whole duck (preferably a plump Nanjing duck, washed and blanched to remove blood) 1 (about 1500 g)

scallion segments 20 g

ginger slices 20 g

cinnamon bark 20 g

fennel seeds 13 g

red yeast rice (use sparingly to avoid toxins) 8 g

rice wine to taste

rock sugar 130 g

light soy sauce to taste

salt (to rub inside the cavity) to taste

sesame oil (for final drizzle) to taste

water (for cooking liquid) 1100 g

Instructions

Preparing the Duck

Wash the whole duck (preferably a plump Nanjing duck), then blanch briefly in boiling water to draw out the blood. Cut off the tail along with its strong-smelling fat and any grime, and remove the feet. Rub salt thoroughly inside the cavity.

Preparing the Braising Liquid

Wrap the scallions, ginger, cinnamon bark, fennel seeds, and red yeast rice (use sparingly to avoid chemical toxins) in a clean cloth bundle. Place the bundle in a pot, add water (1100 g), and simmer to extract the flavor. Remove the spice bundle.

Braising the Duck

Place the duck into the braising liquid. Add rice wine, rock sugar, and light soy sauce. Braise gently over low heat until the duck is thoroughly cooked and tender.