Here's a traditional Hokkien dish my mother used to make for us as the seasons turned and warmer weather approached (and also when we had any duck leftover from my dad's Chinese grocery shopping sprees). Although it can sound a little counter-intuitive drinking hot soup in hot weather, under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, hot seasons generate an abundance of hot, Yang energy in the body. This excess Yang energy can upset the delicate balance between the heating and cooling humours in the body, which is said to lead to dehydration, restlessness, insomnia and low spirits.

However, this imbalance of fiery humours can be combated through eating cooling foods. This philosophy is why this dish is a popular choice amongst the Hokkien speaking community during hotter seasons, as the sour flavours and cooling ingredients in the hot soup are meant to replenish your salt and fluid levels, help boost your appetite, and bring your body back into balance.

I love this recipe as it's really very simple, and only a small number of ingredients are needed to make such a beautifully subtle soup. I'm cheating a little bit in this recipe as I'm using a roasted duck instead of from raw, but this way saves a significant amount of time and in my opinion, adds a depth of flavour which I prefer over the more traditional version. 

This soup acts as a great appetiser, and is also great on it's own with perhaps a little bit of steamed rice on the side.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4-6)

Peking_Restaurant_Cambridge_Roast_Duck_and_Salted_Mustard_Leaf_Soup_Ingredients_5

  • 1/2 Roasted Duck (Chopped)

  • 1 Pack of Salted Mustard Leaves (Xian Chai -  You can buy these at any Chinese supermarket. They come in vacuum sealed bags and are often soaking in brine)

  • 1 Thumb of Ginger root (Sliced)

  • 2-3 Tomatoes (Quartered)

  • 3-4 Garlic cloves (Halved)

  • 3-4 Salted Plums (Optional)

  • 2 tablespoons of Light Soy Sauce (Optional)

  • Salt to taste

  • White pepper to taste

  • 2-3 Dried Red Chillies (Optional)

Instructions (Cooking time: 1 Hour)

  1. Wash and soak your salted mustard leaves in cold water before prepping anything else to help wash away the excess saltiness.
  2. Add a tablespoon of oil into your pot and gently fry your garlic, ginger slices and dried chillies.
  3. Pop in your pieces of roast duck and then cover with water and bring to the boil.
  4. Next, add the tomatoes.
  5. Throw in your salted plums (The traditional recipe calls for this, and whilst I'll admit it does add some very subtle sweet/sour notes to the soup, it's not a vital ingredient so don't worry if you can't find these at your local Chinese supermarket as they can be a little hard to source).
  6. At this point, you can drain your salted mustard leaves and cut them roughly into 2-3cm square pieces and add them to the soup.
  7. Bring your soup back up to the boil and then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 45 minutes (although the longer you let it simmer, the better it'll taste).
  8. Add a light sprinkle of white pepper (you don't want to overpower the delicate flavours) and add salt and soy sauce to taste.
  9. Enjoy it by itself or with white rice. This dish also works as a great appetiser.
  10. Eat with gusto!