Old Duck Soup (Lao Ya Bao Tang)
老鸭煲汤 · pan chinese cuisine
A rich, comforting duck soup that the original author calls an occasional treat — an older duck is pricey, so this is a dish for splurging now and then.
Fiona AldridgeUK mum of three, sourdough starter named Barry is four years old. I bake through my nan's recipe box and post the wins and the collapsed sponges.Nutrition & allergens
No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
ya鸭
1.0 whole
jiao bai （ xian ）［ jiao sun ， jiao ba ］茭白（鲜）［茭笋，茭粑］
2.0 piece
mu er （ gan ）［ hei mu er ， yun er ］木耳（干）［黑木耳，云耳］
as needed
0.18 oz
0.13 cup
5.0 slice
as needed
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Rinse one whole duck clean and set aside.
✅ Done when: The duck is fully rinsed with no visible debris or blood.
- 2
Step 2
Place the duck in a pot of cold water, adding 4 slices of ginger and 2 spoonfuls of cooking wine.
✅ Done when: The duck, ginger, and cooking wine are all in the pot of cold water.
Bring to a boil to blanch the duck, then remove it, rinse it clean, and set aside.
✅ Done when: The water has come to a boil and the duck surface is scum-free after rinsing.
- 4
Step 4
Prepare the remaining ingredients: 5 g cordyceps flowers, 2 water bamboo stems, and wood ear mushrooms soaked until rehydrated.
✅ Done when: The wood ears are fully rehydrated and all ingredients are laid out and ready.
Heat oil in a pot, add ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the duck and stir-fry.
✅ Done when: The ginger smells fragrant and the duck pieces are coated and aromatic from the stir-fry.
Once fragrant, add stock or boiling water, cover, and bring back to a boil; cook 10 minutes, then reduce to a low simmer for about 40 minutes, and finally keep on the lowest heat for another 20 minutes. Add cooking wine and scallions at the same time. (Note: add all the water at once — do not add more midway.)
✅ Done when: The soup has simmered the full ~70 minutes with the lid on and no water was added midway.
Bring back up to a high boil; once the soup turns slightly thick, add the water bamboo.
✅ Done when: The broth has thickened slightly and is boiling before the water bamboo goes in.
- 8
Step 8
High heat
After the water bamboo comes back to a boil, add the wood ear mushrooms.
✅ Done when: The pot has returned to a boil after adding the water bamboo.
Just before finishing, add the cordyceps flowers and simmer briefly.
✅ Done when: The cordyceps flowers have softened slightly after a brief simmer.
- 10
Step 10
Season with salt and chicken bouillon, add a little white pepper, and finish with a sprinkle of chopped scallions. The duck soup is ready to serve.
✅ Done when: The seasoning is fully dissolved and the scallion garnish is scattered on top.