Rich Herbal Duck Soup (Oritang)
Rich Herbal Duck Soup (Oritang)
How to Make Delicious Herbal Duck Soup at Home
Ducking out for duck soup can be quite expensive! Instead, why not try making this nourishing herbal duck soup at home? With one whole duck and a selection of traditional Korean medicinal herbs, simmered for about 2 hours, you’ll create a truly fortifying meal. You can even make duck porridge with the leftover broth, making it a perfect restorative dish.
Ingredients- 1 whole duck
- 1 pack of samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) herbal pack
- A handful of Astragalus root (Hwanggi)
- A handful of Devil’s Club root (Eomnamu)
- A handful of Epimedium (Yagwanmun)
- A handful of Yellow Root (Hwangchil)
- 1 pack of dashima (kelp) for broth (or a commercial broth pack)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by selecting a pot large enough to hold a whole duck. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the duck completely. Place the samgyetang herbal pack, along with Astragalus root, Devil’s Club root, Epimedium, and Yellow Root, into a mesh broth bag. Add this bag to the pot and simmer for about 1 hour to create a rich, deeply flavored herbal broth. This process extracts the essence of the herbs, forming the flavorful and healthy base for your duck soup.
Step 2
Once the herbal broth has been simmering for an hour, carefully add the cleaned whole duck to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 40 to 50 minutes, or until the duck is tender and cooked through. While the duck is simmering, take 1 cup of glutinous rice that has been soaked in cold water and place it in a samgyetang cloth bag. Add this rice bag to the pot as well; it will cook along with the duck and enrich the soup, preparing it for delicious duck porridge later.
Step 3
After the duck has cooked sufficiently, carefully remove the whole duck from the pot and set it aside on a plate. Discard the mesh bag containing the herbal ingredients. This step ensures that your duck soup broth remains clear, clean, and free from any unwanted sediment.
Step 4
Here is the beautifully cooked duck after being simmered for nearly 2 hours with the herbal ingredients. The rich, deep flavor of the broth and the tender duck meat are so delicious that even picky eaters in the family will rave about it, comparing it favorably to restaurant-bought duck soup for its depth and nutritional value.
Step 5
This rich and flavorful duck soup broth is wonderful on its own, but it truly shines when used to make duck porridge. Simmering the glutinous rice in this nourishing broth creates a hearty and revitalizing meal that’s perfect for a restorative feast.
Step 6
The glutinous rice, taken from the samgyetang cloth bag, is now perfectly cooked and soft. You can use this rice to prepare a delicious duck porridge.
Step 7
Finely chop any leftover vegetables you have in your refrigerator. Shred the cooked duck meat into bite-sized pieces and add it to a pot. Pour in a generous amount of the duck soup broth, then add the chopped vegetables and shredded duck meat. Bring to a boil and simmer until the porridge is thick and creamy.
Step 8
Ordering duck soup at a restaurant these days can cost around 40,000 KRW, which is quite a significant expense. However, by purchasing one whole duck and using the herbal ingredients you likely already have at home, you can create this wonderful herbal duck soup that serves as an exceptional nourishing meal for your entire family. It’s a truly heartwarming way to care for your loved ones’ health with a delicious home-cooked meal.
