1. Brief Introduction
Zhijiang Duck is a specialty in Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, Huaihua City. The production of Zhijiang duck is mainly availed by the unique temperature and special ingredients of Zhijiang in autumn and winter to make it emit a distinctive fragrance. Purebred hemp ducks are stocked in rice fields, mountain streams, and creeks are used as raw materials. After rubbing honey, deep-frying, using a variety of natural spices, such as Zhijiang local wild Zhicao, and years of old soup, it is cooked with traditional craftsmanship of Dong township, with bright skin color, tender and delicious meat, smooth and not greasy, long aftertaste and other unique flavors and nutritional nourishing effect. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Zhijiang has a traditional food custom of eating Zhijiang duck during the Mid-autumn Festival, and it is a convention of giving the prepared duck products to relatives and friends.
2. Introduction to Ingredients
Main ingredient: 1 old hemp duck
Ingredients: Oil, Ginger, Chili, Garlic, Soy Sauce
3. Production Method
(1) After the duck is killed, remove the internal organs, chop into large pieces and wash them clearly, slice the ginger and pepper, and tie the green onions into a twist shape for later use.
(2) Put oil in the wok; after the fire is hot, put the duck head and duck legs first, add ginger and chili flakes and fry for a while, then add the duck meat pieces, stir fry over high heat until the duck skin turns golden brown.
(3) Add water to the pot and simmer slowly over low heat for two hours. Add the green onions ten minutes before the pot.
4. Nutritional Value
The duck meat is crispy and soft, the color is yellow and bright, the gravy is crispy and fragrant, the oil is not greasy, and the taste is refreshing. Duck blood has the functions of nourishing blood, clearing away heat and detoxifying, as well as preventing and treating iron deficiency anemia.
5. Gourmet Features
Zhijiang duck food is best produced in Zhijiang. First, its main characteristics are attributed to the pleasant temperature, humidity and wind speed, as well as the autumn and winter seasons different from those of neighboring counties and urban areas. Therefore, the “Zhijiang Duck” has a unique flavor. Second, the ingredients of “Zhijiang Duck” are only owned by Zhijiang County, instead of neighboring counties and cities. Third, “Zhijiang Duck” has the characteristics of tender meat, firm meat, crispy meat, cool meat, and low water and fat.
The above determines the high quality of “Zhijiang duck” as cooked food best produced in Zhijiang.
6. Anecdotes
According to historical records, during the Qingshun period, Emperor Qianlong made a southern tour. When he passed by Yuanzhou Mansion (Zhijiang), he smelled its fragrance and woke up. After his bite of the duck, it was called the delicacy of the world. When Weiwuzhuang, a Taiwanese in the Qingxi Lake of Qing Dynasty, who was transferred to Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, passed through Yuanzhou (Zhijiang), he tasted the fried duck cooked by Sanlaizi, and greatly appreciated Zhijiang duck’s unique taste, with aroma, crispness, spicyness, and mellowness, oily but not greasy. Thus it has been passed down to the present.
(Translated by Tian Xia)