Braised Duck in Ginger and Dark Soy Sauce

This is one of the many recipes that is passed down from the Wonderwoman mum. This is also the dish that will have my sister and I fighting over the dinner table for the last piece. Super easy to make and yet full of flavours. Good things goes to those who wait. So, be patient and you will be rewarded with a tender and flavoursome duck after an hour or two of braising.

Ingredients:

1 duck                     chopped into pieces
1 whole piece          ginger, julienned
3 tablespoons          thick dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons          light soy sauce
4 cups                     water
1 tablespoon           sugar
1 tablespoon           cooking oil

Method:

Heat cooking oil in big pot or wok. Fry ginger till golden brown.

Add in 4 cups of water, duck, dark and light soy sauce. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat when the duck is tender, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over it and mix well.

Braised Duck with Ginger

Packed with robust flavours and unbelievably simple, this slow braised duck with ginger is recipe from my dearest Mum. As with all other braised dishes, the duck tastes better when it is braised for a longer period of time, and especially so when it is left overnight and reheated again the next day. Unfortunately most supermarkets in Singapore only sell duck as a whole. If a whole duck is too much food for your family, packed half of it into the freezer after it cools. Good to keep for a good 3 months!

Ingredients:

1                            duck, chopped
2                            old ginger, julienned
2 tablespoons         cooking oil
3 tablespoons         sesame oil
4 tablespoons         light soya sauce
4 tablespoons         dark soya sauce
11/2 cup                     water

Method:

Heat a wok on medium high with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 3 tablespoons of sesame oil. Add in the ginger and fry till golden brown.

Add in the duck and fry for another 5 minutes.

Add in the light and dark soy sauce and stir fry for a minute or so.

Add in 1 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer for at least 40 minutes.

Kiam Chye Ark or Itek Tim

I had a near full packet of Kiam Chye (salted mustard) left over from steaming a fish and the natural thing to do is boil a pot of soup. Kiam Chye Ark or better known as Itek Tim to the Peranakans is a simple, amazingly flavoursome soup that tastes even better the next day! So if you do have any leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge and heat it up again the next day. All you need is a bowl of steamed rice!

Ingredients:

1/2 whole       duck, chopped into smaller pieces
1 packet          salted mustard (kiam chye), soaked and cut into smaller pieces
2                     tomatoes, quartered
6 slices           old ginger
2 slices           tamarind
3                    preserved salted plums
2 litres           water

Method:

Place all ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that floats to the surface of the soup. Lower the heat to a simmer for 90 minutes.