Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Braised Duck with Taro
荔芋炆鴨
Recipe overview
Duck is blanched to remove impurities and some fat, then braised with ginger and garlic. Taro is added later so it absorbs the sauce without collapsing.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 900 g bone-in duck legs
- 500 g taro
- 25 g ginger
- 4 clove garlic
- 2 stalk spring onion
Seasoning
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 600 ml water
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
02
Tools
- knife
- cutting board
- kitchen paper
- vegetable peeler
- pot
- wok
- colander
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- food thermometer
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect duck
Thaw duck fully in the refrigerator, check for bone fragments or off odour, do not rinse and use a separate board.
Step 2
Blanch duck
Blanch duck in boiling water for 3 minutes and skim foam; discard the blanching water and wash the pot.
Step 3
Dry the duck
Drain and pat duck dry, trimming obvious loose fat.
Step 4
Prepare taro
Wear gloves to peel taro and cut into 4 cm chunks; avoid touching the eyes after handling raw taro sap.
Step 5
Prepare aromatics
Slice ginger, crush garlic, cut spring onion whites into sections and reserve sliced greens.
Step 6
Mix braising sauce
Mix light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and water.
Step 7
Brown duck
Brown duck for 6–8 minutes over medium heat, skin side first, then carefully pour off excess rendered fat.
Step 8
Sauté aromatics
Add ginger, garlic and spring onion whites and sauté for 2 minutes without burning the garlic.
Step 9
Braise the duck
Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil, cover and braise over low heat for 20 minutes.
Step 10
Add taro
Add taro, gently push it into the liquid, cover and braise for 15 minutes without frequent stirring.
Step 11
Check doneness
The thickest duck must reach 75°C with no bloody colour near bone; taro should pierce easily but remain intact.
Step 12
Reduce and serve
Reduce uncovered for 3–5 minutes, nudging gently so the taro stays whole, then add spring onion greens and serve.
Common mistakes
- Adding taro too early or stirring hard makes it collapse and over-thicken the sauce.
Tips
Blanching before browning reduces impurities and excess duck fat.
