How to Make Northern-Style Braised Duck with Ginger: Rich and Flavorful
Braised Duck with Ginger is prepared in the Northern style, without using coconut water, making it rich, flavorful, and perfect for pairing with rice. This is a must-have dish during the winter or whenever the weather turns cool.
Ingredients
- 900g-1kg duck ~ 1/2 duck
- 2 shallots, 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 large ginger root
- Ginger leaves (if available)
- 1-2 chili peppers
- Coarse salt, ginger wine or white wine for cleaning
- Annatto oil, caramel sauce
- Seasoning: seasoning powder, salt, fish sauce, MSG, ground pepper
Ingredient Notes
When making braised duck with ginger, Cookbeo often uses fresh ginger leaves.
Ginger leaves have a mild, refreshing aroma, while ginger root has a warm, spicy fragrance.
Instructions
Prepare the Duck
Rub the duck with coarse salt and ginger wine or white wine mixed with finely chopped ginger to clean and remove the odor. Be sure to pluck all feathers, remove the lungs, tail, and any excess fat from the neck area. When Cookbeo prepares duck, they usually remove the head as it often contains grit and impurities.
After cleaning with salt and wine, rinse the duck thoroughly and let it drain, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the other ingredients:
Peel and mince the shallots and garlic.
Trim off any dark spots from the ginger, wash it, then slice half into thin strips and crush and mince the other half.
Crush the fresh chili peppers and cut them in half.
Marinate the Duck
To ensure the duck is flavorful and aromatic, do not skip the marination step before braising.
Marinate the duck with:
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon annatto oil
- 1 teaspoon caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- A bit of minced shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili
If you prefer the traditional color of braised duck, you can skip the annatto oil and caramel sauce.
How to Cook Braised Duck with Ginger
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a pot. Once the oil is hot, sauté the remaining minced shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili.
Add a bit of fish sauce to enhance the aroma of the sautéed ingredients.
You can also use fresh coconut water to braise the duck for a sweeter, more fragrant flavor.
When the water comes to a boil, skim off any foam, adjust the seasoning with salt and fish sauce, and add the ginger leaves. Then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, the duck will be tender and flavorful. Add the remaining ginger strips, stir well, and continue to simmer with the lid on for another 8-10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, the braised duck with ginger is ready.
Finished braised duck with ginger
How to Enjoy
Braised duck with ginger should be served hot, paired with steamed rice or noodles. If you like, you can also prepare some fresh herbs like cilantro, Thai basil, or Vietnamese coriander to enjoy alongside.
This warm and hearty dish is perfect for cool or chilly days, especially during winter. You can also prepare ginger-braised chicken or ginger-fried chicken using a similar method for a flavorful, comforting meal that pairs well with rice.
Braised duck with ginger pairs well with soups like minced pork and spinach, tomato and egg soup, beef and pickled mustard greens soup, garlic stir-fried water spinach, and pickled mustard greens.
Final Product Requirements
The braised duck with ginger has a beautiful dark golden brown color. The meat is tender, rich in flavor, and has an incredibly enticing aroma. It combines the warm, spicy fragrance of ginger root with the mild, refreshing scent of ginger leaves, along with the aroma of pepper, spices, and the slight sweetness of the duck meat.
