Duck Hot Pot with Ginger Mother Broth

Duck Hot Pot with Ginger Mother Broth

　　The duck hot pot with ginger mother broth at “Colorful Cuisine Workshop” in Yuexiu District can be considered a local specialty.

The chefs at “Colorful Cuisine Workshop” explain that old ginger helps to dispel wind and is best enjoyed in winter. While different shops may add varying ingredients to the pot, all place great emphasis on the selection of old ginger and the quantity of medicinal herbs. Old ginger is simmered with angelica root, goji berries, licorice, and other herbs to create the broth. The duck meat is cleaned with salt, marinated with a secret seasoning, lightly pan-fried, then placed in the pot. Ingredients such as Chinese cabbage, spinach, onion, enoki mushrooms, scallions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, fried dried tofu sticks, and tofu (which helps prevent it from breaking apart easily) are arranged at the bottom and around the sides of the pot. The dish is served when the ingredients are about 70–80% cooked, then further heated and kept warm on a charcoal stove.

The chefs have also made improvements to the traditional version of the dish. For example, only duck breast is used instead of a whole duck, which reduces the greasiness. Traditionally, the entire dish was fully cooked before serving, but now it is served as a hot pot so diners can cook it themselves, enhancing the flavor even more.