麻辣卤鸭脖: Málà lǔ yā bó:
Spicy Braised Duck Necks
I noticed they had a new product at my grocery store – Chicken necks, which of course reminded me of one of my favorite street food snacks in Beijing – Málà lǔ yā bó: Spicy and Numbing Braised Duck Necks. I decided to recreate a favorite!
First I called my Chinese friend, and got her recipe. The ingredients list is fairly long, even by Chinese standards, but I was feeling smug because I thought I had everything on hand.
For those who are stickler’s to details might have noticed, in the photo of the sauces I used, there is no chili oil.
Alas, woe is me. I remembered, I had used up the last of my chili oil last month, so off to my neighborhood Asian grocer I went.
And you can’t go to an Asian grocer and buy just 1 thing, so I got some shrimp chips, and frozen bao za.
Spicy and Numbing Braised Duck Necks, are typically eaten hot. It is a popular street food and snack in China, and the duck necks are usually served freshly cooked and warm. However, I think they taste better cold, especially in the summer.
They also pair well with an ice cold Tsingtao beer, to calm the fire that is in your mouth! And before we start, I will teach you a fun word I learned, eating in the hot summer streets of Beijing – The Beijing bikini. Basically, when men, pull their shirt up over their bellies in the summer to cool off. It is more common than you might expect.
Spicy Braised Duck Necks Fun Facts:
Mala Flavor:
The term “麻辣” (Mala) refers to a combination of numbing (麻) and spicy (辣) flavors. This flavor profile is commonly associated with Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold and distinctive use of spices, particularly Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers.
Braising Tradition:
The term “卤” (Lu) signifies a braising method. Duck necks are often prepared using a braising technique that involves simmering them in a flavorful broth made with a variety of spices, soy sauce, and other seasonings. This method imparts rich flavors to the meat.
Street Food Culture:
Many innovative and flavorful street foods, including variations of braised duck necks, have emerged in the context of China’s vibrant street food culture. Vendors often experiment with different combinations of spices and seasonings to create unique and appealing snacks.
Spicy Braised Duck Necks Broth Ingredients:
Duck or Chicken Necks: Contribute a rich and savory flavor to the broth, offering a depth that comes from the natural oils and unique taste.
Garlic: Adds a pungent and slightly sweet flavor, enhancing the overall aroma of the broth.
Bay Leaves: Impart a subtle, earthy flavor with sweet and floral notes, contributing to the broth’s complexity.
Cloves: Bring a warm and sweet-spicy flavor, providing a hint of depth and a touch of sweetness.
Star Anises: Contributes a licorice-like flavor, adding a sweet and slightly floral undertone to the broth.
Crystallized Ginger: Brings a sweet and spicy kick, providing a unique twist to the broth’s overall taste.
Soy Sauce: Has a salty and savory umami flavor, enhancing the overall richness of the broth.
Dark Soy Sauce: Gives it a deeper color and a more intense, molasses-like flavor, adding complexity.
Chinese Cooking Wine: (Shaoxing wine ) Chinese Introduces a mildly sweet and fermented taste, elevating the overall aroma of the broth.
Fresh Ginger: Provides a bright and slightly peppery flavor, adding a refreshing note to the broth.
Sichuan Peppercorns: Have a unique numbing and citrusy flavor, creating a distinctive and bold profile.
Dried Chili Peppers: Provide heat and a smoky depth, balancing the richness of the broth with a spicy kick.
Five Spice Powder: Combines sweet, savory, and warm flavors, contributing to the overall complexity of the broth.
Cinnamon Stick: Cinnamon stick adds a sweet and woody flavor, complementing the other spices in the broth.
Oyster Sauce: Contributes a savory and slightly sweet taste, enhancing the overall umami profile of the broth.
Black Cardamom Pods: Offer a smoky and earthy flavor, adding depth to the broth.
These carefully selected ingredients create a broth with layers of flavors, from savory and spicy to aromatic and numbing, resulting in a well-balanced and delicious dish.
Spicy and Numbing Braised Duck Necks Serving Sauce:
Lao Gan Ma – Chili Crisp Oil: Lao Gan Ma chili crisp oil provides a fiery kick and a crunchy texture, intensifying the spiciness and adding a delightful crunch.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty and savory umami flavor, enhancing the overall richness of the broth.
Sichuan Peppercorn Oil: Sichuan peppercorn oil contributes a numbing and fragrant element, intensifying the overall Sichuan flavor.
Sichuan Peppercorns: Sichuan peppercorns bring a unique numbing and citrusy flavor, creating a distinctive and bold profile.
Toasted and Ground Sichuan Peppercorns: Toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns amplify the numbing and citrusy notes, adding complexity.
Sugar: Sugar brings a subtle sweetness, balancing the heat and enhancing the overall flavor harmony.
Sesame Oil: Sesame oil adds a nutty and aromatic essence, contributing a final layer of richness to the seasoning.
making Spicy Braised Duck Necks:
Blanch Duck Necks:
- Blanching the duck necks in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, helps remove surface impurities, excess fat, and any unwanted flavors from the meat, resulting in a cleaner and more appealing final dish.
- Drain the water, and give your pan a quick wash to get rid of the impurities
Prepare Your Cooking Pot:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the Ingredients for duck necks broth, and water to cover by an inch.
Heat and Add Duck Necks:
- Heat the pot over high heat until it boils.
- Add the blanched duck necks to the boiling mixture.
Simmer:
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 1 hour. If you prefer a more tender texture, you can extend the simmering time a bit longer.
Chop and Season the duck necks:
- With a knife or meat cleaver, chop the refrigerated duck necks into 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches pieces. They are easy to cut.
- Prepare the seasoning sauce separately.
- Add the seasoning sauce to the chopped duck necks and mix well.
- Rewrap it and put it in the fridge. Let it sit for at least 2-4 hours for the flavors to marry and penetrate.
Chop and Season:
- With a knife or meat cleaver, chop the refrigerated duck necks into 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches pieces. They are easy to cut.
- Prepare the seasoning sauce separately.
- Add the seasoning sauce to the chopped duck necks and mix well.
Make the Seasoning Sauce, and toss togeher.
1 to 2 tablespoon Lao Gan Ma – Chili crisp oil (Everybody should have some of this lying around – it is magical)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn oil (or just chili oil)
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (or red pepper flakes)
1-2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Taste it. Salt as needed, every soy sauce is different
- Rewrap it and put it in the fridge. Let it sit for at least 2-4 hours for the flavors to marry and penetrate.
Spicy Braised Duck Necks: Finger licking good
Spicy Braised Duck Necks
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the duck necks broth:
- 700 g 2/3 lb duck or chicken necks
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 2 star anises
- 2-3 pieces of crystalized ginger
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar or a piece of rock sugar
- 1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger sliced
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- ¼ cup to ½ cup dried chili peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/4 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon of salt per liter of water
- Enough water cover the necks by 1 inch
- Seasoning Sauce add after it is cooked and chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Lao Gan Ma – Chili crisp oil Everybody should have some of this lying around – it is majical
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn oil or just chili oil
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns toasted and ground (or red pepper flakes)
- 1-2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- Taste it. Salt as needed every soy sauce is different
Instructions
- Blanch Duck Necks: In boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Blanching the duck necks helps remove surface impurities, excess fat, and any unwanted flavors from the meat, resulting in a cleaner and more appealing final dish.
- Drain the water, and give your pan a quick wash to get rid of the impurities,
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the Ingredients for duck necks broth, and water to cover by an inch or 1.5 inches.
- Heat the pot over high heat until it boils.
- Add the blanched duck necks to the boiling mixture.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 1 hour. If you prefer a more tender texture, you can extend the simmering time a bit longer.
- Transfer the cooked duck necks to a plate, and let cool.
- With a knife or meat cleaver, chop the refrigerated duck necks into 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches pieces. They are easy to cut.
- Prepare the seasoning sauce separately. Add the seasoning sauce to the chopped duck necks and mix well.
- Serve right away, or wrap it up and put it in the fridge. It is good served hot or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Spicy Braised Duck Necks pair well with:
