At the table
Take a few pieces onto your own plate, eat the meat around the bones and leave bones aside. Spoon a little sauce over rice. Let hot pieces cool before eating.
Contains duck and bones. Some versions add pork, duck giblets or duck blood. Sweet flour sauce commonly contains wheat; fermented sauces may contain soy or other beans and wheat. Beer or cooking wine may be used. Confirm ingredients and cross-contact with the kitchen for allergies; reduced chilli does not guarantee a chilli-free dish.
Recipes vary in the duck used, chilli strength, sauces and braising liquid. Some include pork belly, duck giblets or duck blood; beer, rice wine and water-based versions also occur. Ask about the actual preparation if you avoid any of these.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Recipes vary in the duck used, chilli strength, sauces and braising liquid. Some include pork belly, duck giblets or duck blood; beer, rice wine and water-based versions also occur. Ask about the actual preparation if you avoid any of these.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Rich duck flavour, savoury fermented sauce, ginger warmth and noticeable chilli heat, with a little sweetness from the sweet flour sauce.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Tender yet pleasantly firm duck meat with softened skin; the pieces contain bones. The reduced sauce coats the meat and vegetables.
- How it’s made
- The duck is fried to develop colour and release moisture, then braised with ginger, aromatics and sauces. In the illustrated style, beer provides the braising liquid; peppers, garlic and scallions finish the dish.
Recipes vary in the duck used, chilli strength, sauces and braising liquid. Some include pork belly, duck giblets or duck blood; beer, rice wine and water-based versions also occur. Ask about the actual preparation if you avoid any of these.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Hunan.
About this regional connection
Hunan: Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, Huaihua: fresh chopped duck fried then braised; not whole packaged cured duck or Hongjiang blood-rice-cake duck.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有芷江鸭吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A shared duck dish from Zhijiang
Zhijiang, a Dong autonomous county in Huaihua in western Hunan, is associated with duck dishes cooked by frying and braising. Ginger, peppers and fermented sauces give this hot shared dish its character; household and restaurant versions differ.