Soups Recipes - Duck and Nut Soup with Jujubes Recipe

Ingredients

• 30-45ml/2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 4 duck legs, split into thighs and drumsticks

• juice of 1 coconut

• 60ml/4 tbsp fish sauce

• 4 lemon grass stalks, bruised

• 12 chestnuts, peeled

• 90g/3 1/2oz unsalted cashew nuts, roasted

• 90g/3 1/2oz unsalted almonds, roasted

• 90g/3 1/2oz unsalted peanuts, roasted

• 12 jujubes

• sea salt and ground black pepper

• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Brown the duck legs in the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

2. Bring 2 liters/7 1/4 cups water to the boil. Reduce the heat and add the coconut juice, fish sauce, lemon grass and duck legs.

3. Cover the pan and simmer over a gentle heat for 2-3 hours. Skim off any fat.

4. Add the nuts and jujubes and cook for 40 minutes, until the chestnuts are soft and the duck is very tender.

5. Skim off any fat, season to taste and sprinkle with basil leaves to serve.

Note: This rich soup is delicious. Packed with nuts and sweetened with jujubes (dried Chinese red dates), it resembles neither a soup nor a stew, but something in between. Served on its own, or with rice and pickles, it is a meal in itself.

Cook's Tip: To extract the coconut juice pierce the eyes on top and turn the coconut upside down over a bowl.