Soup with Simmered Duck and Salted Mustard Greens
The one unusual thing about this soup is the inclusion of brandy. It amazed me when I first
studied this recipe. Most of the old Nonya bibiks (grandaunts or senior ladies) would drink
‘a bit’ of brandy each night before they went to bed. They claimed that it was a tonic that
kept them strong and healthy. No wonder, since many of them lived past 80 years of age
and remained mentally alert and physically robust.
makes 8 to 12 servings
1 whole duck, about 1¼ kg or 2¾ pounds
1 tablespoon brandy and more for
seasoning if preferred
450 g or 1 pound salted mustard greens
(kiam chai), including the leafy greens
6 cups water
450 g or 1 pound pork ribs
3 dried tamarind fruit (assam poey)*
3 preserved sour plums*
3 large tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
into quarters
2 teaspoons salt
* Dried tamarind fruit (assam poey)
and preserved sour plums are best
sourced from a Chinese medicinal shop.
1. Rinse and pat dry the duck. Trim off excess fat.
Chop into parts, about 6 to 8 pieces. Pour 1 tablespoon
of brandy over the duck and toss to coat evenly.
2. Rinse the salted mustard greens under cold water.
Then soak in a pot of cold water for no more than
10 minutes. Strain and pat dry. Slice into 5 cm or
2 inch pieces.
3. Fill a pot with enough water to cover the duck, pork
ribs, dried tamarind fruit and sour plums, about 6 cups.
Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer, skimming off
the surface every so often to remove excess gristle and
oil. (To remove gristle and oil from the surface of the soup,
stir the ladle in the middle of the pot to direct the gristle
to the sides of the pot. This makes it easier to scoop the
gristle off. )
4. Cover to simmer for at least an hour to ensure that
the duck meat becomes very tender.
5. Add the salted mustard greens and cook for an
additional 15 minutes.
6. About 10 minutes before serving, add the cut-up
tomatoes. Season with salt and a bit more brandy if
you prefer.
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