Today, Tastetutorial.com will introduce you to a soup that is extremely delicious and nutritious for the family, made from duck and various vegetables. That is the two ways to make duck stewed with red apples and stewed with pumpkin. Just hearing the names sounds appealing, doesn’t it? What are you waiting for, let’s get cooking!
1. Duck Stewed with Red Apples
-
Preparation
30 minutes
-
Cooking
40 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Duck Stewed with Red Apples For 4 people
Duck 1 (1.2 – 1.5 kg) Red Apples 50 gr American Corn 1 White Radish 1 Enoki Mushrooms 100 gr Oyster Mushrooms 100 gr Dried Shiitake Mushrooms 50 gr Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms 50 gr Carrot 1 Shallots 2 (chopped) Rock Sugar 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce 1/2 tablespoon Mushroom Hotpot Seasoning 1 packet Common Seasoning a little (Salt/ Seasoning Powder/ Sugar)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh carrots
- Choose carrots that have a deep, bright orange color, with fresh green tops tightly attached to the root; do not choose those with wilted, bruised tops that are slimy, or with the body showing dark spots, and feel soft when pressed lightly with your hand.
- Fresh carrots are those that are of moderate size, not too big or too small, have a straight, elongated shape towards the tail, smooth skin, firm to the touch, and slightly hard.
- Avoid choosing carrots that have large, thick tops and shoulders because these are older carrots, which will have more fibers and fewer nutrients.
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
- For fresh shiitake mushrooms, choose those of moderate size, with short stems, tightly closed caps, a slightly brownish color, and a distinctive mushroom aroma.
- For dried shiitake mushrooms, choose those that are not broken and have bright brown caps, without moisture or strange odors, and do not show any white mold spots.
- To ensure you buy shiitake mushrooms of the best quality, you should purchase them from reputable stores, food counters, supermarkets, or large markets.
How to choose fresh oyster mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms with firm stems, large caps, not too torn, with slightly concave tops and thin gills underneath.
- You should buy oyster mushrooms that grow in clusters, are fresh, and have the distinctive aroma of mushrooms.
- Depending on your preference, you can choose gray or white oyster mushrooms. However, white oyster mushrooms are more suitable for soups, porridge, and hot pots, while gray oyster mushrooms are better for stir-fry dishes.
How to choose delicious enoki mushrooms
- Delicious enoki mushrooms will be fresh, have a bean-shaped appearance, firm caps, white and shiny color, with no sliminess or slight browning.
- Avoid buying enoki mushrooms that are crushed, with roots that are separated or falling apart.
- You should buy enoki mushrooms from reputable stores, markets, or large supermarkets to ensure quality, and also check carefully the origin and expiration date, prioritizing the newest production date printed on the packaging.
How to choose fresh and delicious corn
- Choose corn that has a green outer husk, is still fresh, tightly hugging the corn cob, with silky and soft corn silk, not dry or withered.
- The end of the corn cob should be fresh, not bruised or wilted, as this will make the kernels inside sweeter.
- The corn kernels should be shiny yellow, plump, and straight.
Where to buy mushroom hot pot seasoning?
- The mushroom hot pot seasoning pack used in this dish includes ingredients such as star anise, fennel, cilantro, licorice, and cinnamon.
- You can purchase this seasoning pack at reputable stores, supermarkets, large markets, or traditional medicine shops.
How to cook Duck Stewed with Red Apples
-
Prepare the duck
Use a torch to burn the duck until the outer skin turns golden. Then, wash it thoroughly with water and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Tip: Using a torch to burn the duck will help remove feathers and eliminate odors.
-
Prepare other ingredients
Peel the white radish, wash it clean, drain, and then cut it into quarters.
Remove the husk and silk from the corn, rinse briefly with water, drain, and then cut into bite-sized rounds.
Peel the carrot, wash it clean, and cut it into flower shapes.
Trim the roots off the enoki mushrooms, and cut the oyster mushrooms in half. Then, soak these two types of mushrooms in diluted salt water for about 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water and drain.
For dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in water until they are soft and then cut them in half. For fresh shiitake mushrooms, just rinse them in diluted salt water, then rinse again with clean water and cut them in half.
-
Stir-fried Duck
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil into the pot. Wait for the oil to heat, then add finely chopped shallots and fry until fragrant. After that, add the duck meat to the pot along with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce, then stir-fry evenly over medium heat until the duck meat is firm.
Tip: Stir-frying the duck will help it render fat, firm up, and absorb the spices better.
-
Cooking Duck
Put the hot pot seasoning into a small filter bag.
When the duck meat in the pot is firm, add 2 liters of water, white radish, sweet corn, and the hot pot seasoning into the pot to cook together. Next, cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes over medium heat.
When the water in the pot boils, use a ladle to remove all the foam, turn the heat down, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Then, season with 1/2 tablespoon of seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of rock sugar, and taste for flavor. Add carrots, red apples, and shiitake mushrooms to the pot and cook for about 5 more minutes before turning off the heat.
-
Final Product
The finished duck soup with red apples has an eye-catching color ranging from yellow, orange, red to white. Just looking at it is already appetizing.
The taste of this dish is also wonderful, with a blend of many different flavors. Especially the light sweetness from various vegetables and fruits like carrots, white radish, and sweet corn. The duck meat is also extremely tender and fragrant.
This dish is best served with watercress, mustard greens, and all the types of mushrooms prepared above for a perfect meal.
In addition to the above recipe, Tastetutorial.com would like to introduce you to a recipe for duck stew with red apples shared by Ms. Nguyễn Thanh Trúc, giving you another option when cooking.See details: How to cook delicious, fragrant, and nutritious duck stew with red apples for the whole family
2. Duck Stew with Pumpkin
-
Preparation
15 minutes
-
Processing
1 hour 15 minutes
-
Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients for Pumpkin Stewed Duck Serves 4
Duck 1/2 bird Pumpkin 1 piece (plus an additional 200g of pumpkin) Straw mushrooms 200 gr Seafood mushrooms 200 gr Chili 3 pieces Ginger 1 piece Shallots 3 bulbs Green pepper 2 pieces Green onion tops 3 pieces Soy sauce 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Sugar 2 teaspoons MSG 2 teaspoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose fresh pumpkin
- A good pumpkin, ripe and mature will have a hard outer skin, not deformed or bruised. Holding the pumpkin gives a solid, heavy feel, indicating it’s dense and has fewer seeds.
- Choose pumpkins with fresh stems, about 2cm long to ensure longer storage.
- Do not buy if the pumpkin has a soft skin, and when cut open, the flesh is mushy or shows signs of rot.
See details:
How to choose fresh straw mushrooms
- For fresh straw mushrooms, you should choose mushrooms that are still in bud, not opened, fresh, with a slightly round or cylindrical shape, uniform in size, neither too small nor too large.
- When touching and gently squeezing, the mushroom should feel slightly firm; choose straw mushrooms that are black or gray in color as they will taste better than the white ones.
- For dried mushrooms, choose those that are whole, with no signs of mold or unusual odors.
How to make Duck braised with pumpkin
-
Prepare the pumpkin shell
Use a knife to carve a circle at the top of the pumpkin, then gently pull it out with your hand. After that, use a spoon to scrape out the inside flesh of the pumpkin and the lid you just carved.
Place a pan on the stove, turn the heat to medium, add 200ml of water to the pan, and bring it to a boil. Next, place the pumpkin into the pan, cover it, and boil for about 30 minutes, then remove it to cool.
Tip: Do not boil for too long as the pumpkin will become mushy and lose its flavor.
-
Prepare the duck
Use salt to rub on the duck’s body, then rinse with water once more and let it drain. After that, chop into bite-sized pieces.
-
Prepare other ingredients
200gr of pumpkin, peeled, washed, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Shallots peeled and chopped. Ginger peeled and sliced thinly. Chili sliced thin.
Sea mushrooms and straw mushrooms, cut off the stems with a knife, then rinse with a mixture of water and rice flour for about 1 minute. After that, soak that mixture for another 5 minutes, then rinse with clean water 2 – 3 times and let drain.
-
Stir-fry duck and vegetables
Place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan. Wait for the oil to heat, then add onions and sauté until fragrant.
Next, add the duck meat and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add shredded ginger, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of monosodium glutamate, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce into the pan, then stir well so that the seasonings are absorbed into the duck meat.
Then, gradually add pumpkin, seafood mushrooms, and straw mushrooms into the pan and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then add 2 ladles of water into the pan, cooking until the mixture in the pan boils. Season with 2 teaspoons of sugar, chopped chili, and continue to stir-fry for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat.
Tip: Stir-frying the duck will help it render fat, become firmer, and absorb the seasonings better.
-
Duck Stew
Place the green onions inside the pumpkin. Then, add the stir-fried duck meat on top. Next, add the green pepper and cover the pumpkin. Afterwards, wrap the pumpkin tightly in aluminum foil.
Put a pan on the stove, add enough water to fill 1/3 of the pan, and turn the heat to medium. Place the aluminum-wrapped pumpkin into the pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Finally, take out the pumpkin, remove the aluminum foil, and it’s done.
-
Final Product
The pumpkin duck stew has a light aroma from the duck meat and green pepper. The duck meat is tender and delicious, while the mushrooms are crispy yet chewy. The seasoning is just right, soaking into every strand of duck meat. Just one word, delicious, is enough to describe the flavor of this dish.
How to choose fresh and delicious duck
- You should choose to buy Muscovy ducks instead of other ducks as they are usually fattier and have less down, which helps reduce the time spent cleaning feathers and makes the dish tastier.
- For live ducks, choose those that are fully grown with a round breast, thick neck skin, and thick belly skin. When you try to pull the two wings together, if they just cross each other, then you should buy them.
- For pre-processed ducks, choose those with skin that is yellow but not too dark, blotchy, or has many bruises. Additionally, the duck meat should be firm and have high elasticity.
How to clean ducks without odor or feathers
- First, to ensure the duck is clean and odor-free, you must pluck all the feathers from the duck, including the down and the feathers from the legs.
- Secondly, after the duck has been completely cleaned of feathers, use coarse salt to scrub the entire body of the duck and then rinse it with water. Then, while scrubbing, massage the entire body of the duck again in a mixture of rice wine and sliced, crushed ginger to remove dirt and odor, then rinse with water and let it drain.
- Additionally, you can also use a mixture of salt and lemon (vinegar) to scrub the entire body of the duck and rinse it thoroughly. This is the most commonly used method to eliminate the smell of duck.
Above are 2 ways to make duck stewed with red apples and pumpkin that are delicious and nutritious for the family. Quickly add this soup to your cooking notebook. Wishing you success in making it!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel Wife’s Kitchen and VietNam Cuisine – Vietnamese Cuisine
