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Kiam chye ark (salted vegetable duck soup)
Duck simmered with salted mustard greens, tomatoes, tamarind and sour plums into a tangy soup
Kiam chye ark is the soup Penang Nyonya families make around Chinese New Year, traditionally to use up roast duck from the reunion dinner; its sour, salty broth is said to settle the stomach after the feasting. This version starts from a fresh jointed duck. Duck is simmered with salted mustard greens (kiam chye), tomatoes, tamarind skins, preserved sour plums and a little ginger until the meat is falling-apart tender and the broth is clear, tangy and savoury. Serve it piping hot with plain rice and a dish of sliced chilli in soy. Chef's tip: soak and taste the salted greens first; some brands are fiercely salty and need a second soak.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 duckabout 2 kg, jointed into 8–10 pieces, excess fat removed (or 6 duck legs)
- 10 ½ oz salted mustard greens (kiam chye)soaked 30 minutes, rinsed and cut into 4 cm pieces
- 4 tomatoesquartered
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh gingersliced
- 1 bulb garliccloves peeled and lightly crushed
- 1 tsp white peppercornslightly crushed
- 10 ½ cups water
- ½ tsp saltto taste
- 2 red chillies (optional)sliced, to serve
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Taste a piece of soaked 10 ½ oz salted mustard greens (kiam chye); if it is still very salty, soak it in fresh water for another 15 minutes and squeeze dry.
5 minStep 2: Put 1 duck in a large pot of cold water, bring to the boil and blanch for 5 minutes until the scum rises. Drain, rinse the duck and clean the pot.
12 minStep 3: Return the duck to the pot with 10 ½ cups water, 1 ⅜ oz fresh ginger, 1 bulb garlic and 1 tsp white peppercorns and bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming off any foam.
10 minStep 4: Add the salted greens, 4 tomatoes, 4 preserved sour plums and 2 tbsp dried tamarind slices (asam keping) or tamarind paste, lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 1½–2 hours, until the duck is very tender and comes away from the bone easily.
105 minStep 5: Skim off as much fat as you can from the surface. Common mistake: leaving it on; the soup then tastes heavy instead of sharp and clean.
3 minStep 6: Taste and add ½ tsp salt only if needed (the greens are salty). Serve hot in bowls with 2 red chillies and 1 handful fresh coriander.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kiam chye ark (salted vegetable duck soup) take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 130 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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