Braised duck with chestnuts
Duck braised with ginger, chu hou paste and the first chestnuts of autumn until tender and glossy — the chestnuts turn soft and sweet, and it's wonderful with rice.
- 1 hr 20 min
- Serves 3
- Braise
- Medium
Why it suits you: A balanced constitution simply needs to eat with the season. Bailu's mornings and evenings turn cooler and autumn dryness sets in, so meals should moisten while looking after digestion. Duck is cooling and nourishes yin, while chestnuts are warming and strengthen the spleen and kidneys; braised together they are neither heating nor chilling. Chestnuts are just coming into season, making this a gentle, moistening dinner.
Method
Prep 20 min · Cook 60 min- 1Put the duck in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and blanch for 3 minutes, then rinse and drain. Soak the tangerine peel until soft and scrape off the pith.
- 2Heat a dry wok and fry the duck skin side down until the fat runs and the skin is lightly golden. Pour off the excess fat, leaving 1 tbsp.
- 3Fry the ginger, garlic and shallots until fragrant, stir in the chu hou paste, then return the duck, toss well and splash in the wine.
- 4Add the water, soy sauce, sugar and tangerine peel, bring to the boil, then cover and braise over a low heat for 30 minutes.
- 5Add the chestnuts and braise for 20 minutes more until soft, then reduce the sauce over a high heat. Blanch the choi sum and serve alongside with rice.
Cautions
- Chestnuts are starchy and can cause bloating, so cut back on rice if your digestion is weak or you're watching your blood sugar.
Chef's tips
- Wet markets sell chestnuts already shelled and peeled, which saves a lot of work; rendering and pouring off the duck fat first keeps the braise from being greasy.
The TCM view
Duck is sweet, salty and slightly cool, entering the spleen, stomach, lungs and kidneys, nourishing yin and the stomach and draining water — the Mingyi Bielu says it 'tonifies deficiency and clears lingering heat'. Chestnuts are sweet and warm, entering the spleen, stomach and kidneys, strengthening the spleen and supporting the kidneys; ginger and tangerine peel warm the middle and move qi, tempering the duck's coolness.
