Learn How To Bake The Perfect Cake

kaoya luobo tang (roast duck soup with radishes)

  • Home
  • //kaoya luobo tang (roast duck soup with radishes)
Chicken

Kaoya Luobo Tang (Roast Duck Soup with Radishes)

This recipe calls for a roasted duck. You can pick up great roast ducks in most Chinese delis (and even many supermarkets now) that are very reasonably priced.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup finely sliced fresh ginger
  • 4 green onions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
  • Bones, scraps, and scrawny bits from 1 roasted duck (reserve the meat for topping the soup)
  • 1/2 cup Taiwan Mijiu rice wine or sake
  • 1 quart (1 liter) unsalted chicken stock (preferably free range and organic)
  • 4 quarts (4 liters) boiling water, divided
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • For the soup and assembly:
  • 2 small fensi (skeins of cellophane noodles), about 1.3 ounces each, or an equal amount of another Chinese noodle, cooked [Editors' Note: we used lo mein]
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dongcai (pickled napa cabbage) or suancai (Chinese mustard pickles)
  • 1 medium (1 pound or so) Asian radish of some kind (Chinese luobo, Korean mooli, or Japanese daikon)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded roast duck, optional
  • 1 large handful chopped cilantro, optional

Directions

  • A day or two before you plan to serve the soup, place a large 2-gallon (8-liter) stockpot over medium heat and add the sesame oil, ginger, and green onions.
  • Gently fry the ginger and green onions until they turn into thin brown tangles.
  • Raise the heat to medium-high, add the duck, and slowly fry it to render the fat to release the flavors. When most of the fat has melted, turn the heat to high,
  • Pour in the rice wine, and bring to a boil.
  • Add the chicken stock, 2 quarts of the boiling water, and sugar and continue to cook until it returns to a full boil
  • Decrease the heat and allow the pot to simmer for about an hour.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Strain the liquid into a clean pan, skim off the fat, and store in the refrigerator.
  • For the soup and assembly:
  • If using cellophane noodles, about 20 minutes before serving, place them in a large work bowl and cover with cool tap water to soften them.
  • When they are silky, use kitchen shears to cut across the soft skeins in the water into 3- to 4-inch lengths and drain into a strainer.
  • Meanwhile, prep the vegetables: Rinse the pickles in a coarse sieve under running water to remove most of the saltiness, making sure that all sand and grit is removed. If using the mustard pickles, cut crosswise into thin 1/8-inch slices. Prepare the radish by peeling off the skin and any tough webbing under the surface and then cutting into 1/8-inch julienne strips (The pickles and radish can be prepped a day or two ahead of time and refrigerated in closed plastic bags until ready to use.)
  • Bring the strained stock to a full boil and add the radish and the black pepper.
  • Add the winter vegetable or mustard pickles to taste, as saltiness will vary due to the duck’s preparation. You can also add more boiling water (the remaining 2 quarts, as needed) if your soup turns out to be on the salty side.
  • Cook this, uncovered, over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the radishes are tender and sweet, but not mushy.
  • Add the cellophane noodles, if using, and simmer for no more than another 5 minutes, barely cooking through.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. If using another type of noodle, ladle the broth into bowls filled with the cooked noodles.
  • Serve immediately with duck meat and cilantro sprinkled on top, if using.

Add To Shopping List