Old duck soup is best for relieving autumn dryness and providing gentle nourishment; it is also suitable for those with deficiency of both qi and blood. Ginkgo and old duck soup is another good option.

Because people tend to consume more cold drinks and bitter melons (which are considered cooling foods) during the summer, a sudden shift to warming foods in autumn can be overwhelming for the digestive system and the entire body. Sensitive individuals may experience symptoms such as diarrhea and fever. Chicken is considered a warming food, while duck is considered a cooling food. Duck is also more nutritionally complete than chicken. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, duck has a cooling medicinal property, making it suitable as a tonic in the dry autumn season. Nutritionally, duck has a diverse range of nutrients, aligning with the characteristics of autumn tonics. Therefore, drinking duck soup is a suitable way to nourish the body in autumn.

Three types of people should drink duck soup for nourishment.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that duck meat can greatly replenish deficiencies, nourish the yin of the five internal organs, and clear heat from deficiency. It has the effects of nourishing the stomach and promoting body fluid production, clearing heat and strengthening the spleen. Duck meat is suitable for people with internal heat or fever. Old duck soup is rich in collagen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other components, making it more nutritious and in line with the modern trend of pursuing healthy eating. The "Mingyi Bielu" (Records of Famous Physicians) calls duck meat a "miracle medicine" and a top-grade tonic, and in folk medicine, old duck soup is considered a "holy medicine for replenishing deficiencies."

There are three main groups of people who are suitable to drink duck soup for nourishment: the elderly and children who are prone to respiratory illnesses such as coughs and colds, and middle-aged and young adults who are usually overworked; people with yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, such as those who are thin, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or tuberculosis; and women whose skin is particularly dry in autumn can also benefit from drinking duck soup. Shi Suofang also reminds us that some people are not suitable for drinking duck soup for nourishment, such as those who are yang deficient and afraid of cold, or those with chronic enteritis.

Duck soup recipe recommendation:

Duck soup with tangerine peel

Ingredients: 350g duck leg meat, dried tangerine peel, fresh tangerine peel, scallions, ginger, and a little fennel.

Seasonings: salt, MSG, cooking wine, sugar, and Shaoxing wine.

Instructions: Dice the fresh dried tangerine peel and set aside; debone and cut the duck legs into pieces, then wash them; prepare the scallions and ginger. First, blanch the duck pieces in boiling water with a little cooking wine to remove any gamey smell; heat oil in a pot, then add shredded scallions and ginger slices and sauté until fragrant, then add the duck meat; stir-fry the duck meat until the surface is cooked and the moisture has evaporated, then add soy sauce, dried tangerine peel strips, fennel seeds, and an appropriate amount of water; bring to a boil over high heat, then add Shaoxing wine, salt, and sugar, cover the pot, and simmer over medium-low heat; once the duck meat is tender, turn up the heat to thicken the sauce, remove the ginger slices and fennel seeds, and add the fresh dried tangerine peel before serving.

Winter melon and barley stewed duck soup

Ingredients: Rice, 1/2 duck, 300g winter melon, 1 tablespoon Job's tears, 50g old ginger, 800cc water, 1 teaspoon salt

Chop the duck into small pieces, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside. Wash the Job's tears, soak in water for 1 hour, drain and set aside. Peel and slice the ginger. Place all the ingredients from steps 1-3, winter melon, water, and seasonings into the inner pot of an electric rice cooker, press the "cook" button, and cook until the switch pops up. Remove the oil and ginger slices from the surface.

Ginkgo and Old Duck Soup

Ingredients: 400g duck pieces, 10 ginkgo nuts, 5 dried longans, 5g old ginger, 2 teaspoons (10g) salt

Instructions: Clean the duck and cut it into pieces. Soak the ginkgo nuts in water and remove the outer skin. Slice the ginger into large pieces. Heat a wok over high heat without oil. Add the duck pieces and ginger slices and stir-fry until the moisture in the duck meat evaporates and there is no longer any gamey smell . Turn off the heat and remove the duck pieces. Place the stir-fried duck pieces into a stew pot, add water to cover the duck pieces, and bring to a boil uncovered. Remove the duck pieces and discard the water. Add hot water to the stew pot again, add the cooked duck meat, bring to a boil over high heat, add the ginkgo nuts and dried longan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour. Season with salt. This makes a nutritious ginkgo duck soup.