Cooking For Family & Friends

Thai duck noodle soup is a huge favorite amongst my friends. I was trying to think about why it was so popular and I think it’s because the soup is on the lighter side and the duck pairs so well with the flavorings. If some folks don’t enjoy duck because they consider it gamey, in this duck noodle soup the seasonings may lessen the gaminess because it’s somewhat masked by the soy.

This recipe is pretty simple and passed on to me by my dad. You can make your own soy duck or you can purchase one from Chinatown or maybe your local Chinese grocer that has a meat stall (the places with the hanging chickens/ducks). If you’re ordering, please note that it’s better to order the “soy sauce duck” because you can then request the drippings, which can be packaged in a container of dark looking sauce. Please request as much of those soy sauce drippings as you can, because it will really add to your soup base. Additionally, have the butcher cut the duck into bite sized pieces.

Ingredients:

-Half a soy duck, with soy sauce drippings container

-1 cup cilantro, reserve half a cup for garnish

-4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed

-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

-1 -2 teaspoons of granulated sugar

-2-4 tablespoons of fish sauce

– 6 cups of chicken broth or water

-Noodle of choice (Traditionally eaten with fresh rice noodles)

-Chicken bouillon (optional if you have water)

Directions:

1. Add cut up duck, all soy sauce drippings, chicken broth/water, half a cup of cilantro, garlic, white pepper into medium pot. Make sure duck is submerged into liquid. If you used water vs chicken broth, throw in a teaspoon of chicken bouillon for added flavor
2. Get to a boil then bring down to a simmer. Start by adding 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar. Taste and add more to your liking. The soup broth should be slightly sweet and flavorful
3. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the duck softens in the broth. The duck is already cooked so you just want the flavors to integrate well in the soup base.
4. Have cooked noodles ready. If I do not have the fresh wide rice noodles available, I will boil some udon noodles and use that. Pour broth over noodles and garnish with cilantro.