Red Army Braised Duck

Red Army Braised Duck

　　Features

　　 It has a rich, smooth taste and nourishing effects for yin and kidneys.

　　 Ingredients

　　 One whole duck, red dates, goji berries, codonopsis root, angelica, and over 10 other types of Chinese herbs, as well as ginger and green onions

　　 Cooking method

　　 First marinate the duck with soy sauce, then stuff the herbs, ginger, and green onions inside the duck, and braise it in a dry pot for three hours.

　　 Cultural background

　　 In 1933, a female Red Army soldier in her early twenties, Xiao Yuehua, married Otto Braun, a military advisor sent by the Comintern, in Ruijin, Jiangxi. She took on the responsibility of taking care of this foreign advisor’s daily life. Braun had always loved eating duck, so Xiao Yuehua raised a flock of Muscovy ducks and often cooked duck dishes for him. Once, while cooking duck, Xiao Yuehua found that the iron pot was broken. In a moment of urgency, she improvised by using a clay herbal stewing pot to braise the duck. Unexpectedly, the result was a delicious success—the duck meat was fragrant with a subtle hint of herbal aroma that was mouthwatering. Braun was highly impressed after tasting it. From then on, Xiao Yuehua continued to use the clay pot to braise the duck, and she also stuffed the duck with tonic herbs such as licorice, goji berries, and codonopsis root, giving the braised duck both nourishing properties and a more tender, flavorful taste. Gradually, this method of cooking duck became popular in Ruijin. Since this cooking technique was created by the female Red Army soldier Xiao Yuehua, people began to call this dish “Red Army Braised Duck.”

　　 Over time, through continuous improvements in cooking methods and recipes by later generations, this dish has become one of the most beloved dishes in Ruijin, always in high demand.