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December 19, 2024

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Soy sauce duck a beloved TCM feast

By Wu Huixin | 00:00 UTC+8 December 19, 2024 | Print Edition

The 24 Chinese solar terms, which date back thousands of years, embody the rhythm of nature, and the harmony between humans and the world around them. December 21 is Winter Solstice in Chinese solar terms, which means the coldest days are coming in southern China.

It is a big day for Hangzhou locals. As temperatures have already dropped dramatically, people begin to purchase the traditional dish of jiangya, or soy sauce duck, to nourish their bodies.

The soy sauce duck is a traditional Hangzhou delicacy in winter and the dish can be seen at both grand feasts and in daily meals. People can order it at upscale restaurants and also buy it at roadside food stores. Though popular with diners, people seldom cook it at home because it can be very time consuming.

Many citizens flock to stores in Chayuanqian Lane where about 100,000 ducks are sold each year. Rows of jiangya hang neatly on racks, basking in the sunlight, with the duck fat mixed with the sauce slowly dripping from the skin, filling the entire lane with the aroma of the soy sauce.

Sister Li’s signature dish is jiangya, made with black duck. This breed is expensive because its meat is more tender than that of common ducks. A large black duck is priced at 110 yuan (US$15.10) per piece while small ones are 80 yuan per piece. The large duck is the most sought-after by buyers due to its firm texture and rich sauce flavor.

The raw duck is first marinated in soy sauce and hung on a ventilated platform until the sauce dries. It is then coated with a layer of seasoning, stuffed with spices, and placed in a pot for 12 hours.

Secondly, soy sauce is poured into the pot until the duck is completely immersed, and it is left for another 24 hours. Pepper, ginger, rice wine, and other seasonings can be added, ensuring the entire duck remains submerged. The container should be covered to keep out air and bacteria.

Thirdly, the duck is stewed in soy sauce until it turns crimson, and dried in the sun for two to three days.

Sister Li’s store has sold nearly 2,000 jiangya thus far this year for turnover of about 100,000 yuan. The sales peak will arrive before the Chinese New Year when the store can sell 200 to 300 ducks a day. The estimated sales for its entire winter season are expected to exceed 10,000 ducks.

Zixia Village in the Xiaoshan District is another hub for soy sauce duck, with the sales season beginning there in late October. By virtue of unique pickling skills and rich flavor, Zixia jiangya is highly favored by consumers and has become an indispensable gift when locals visit relatives and friends.

Out-of-town travelers could visit the time-honored Fangzengchang Sauce Store on the Xiaohezhi Street for its mouth-watering ducks. According to locals, the store was established during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when the street thrived due to the flourishing river trade. The street is one of the most popular areas in Hangzhou thanks to its charming mix of crisscrossing lanes, fashionable boutiques and traditional architecture.

In its heyday, the store had a large workshop and sold a myriad of hand-made, mouth-watering sauces and pickled vegetables, as well as marinated poultry.

Traditional Chinese medicine says people are vulnerable to sickness when the temperature goes down, and should remove inner dryness when low humidity causes imbalanced energy and discomfort.

According to TCM therapy, duck meat is considered cold and sweet because ducks mainly live on aquatic products for food. Therefore, people who have excessive inner heat are recommended to try duck meat to lower the heat and remove toxins.

For those suffering from lung, spleen or stomach diseases, duck meat can help alleviate some of their problems.

Hangzhou


 

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