Dried cured duck gizzard

陳腎

eases indigestionwhets the appetite下氣令湯帶臘香回甘

Duck gizzards salted and wind-dried in the Cantonese cured-meat (laap mei) tradition, sold as hard, flat coppery discs. Soaked, halved and simmered, one or two pieces perfume a whole pot with a savoury cured aroma and a lingering sweet finish. The quiet essential of watercress and dried-vegetable soups in autumn.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet、salty　Meridians · spleen、stomach

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy it is used to ease food stagnation, open the appetite and direct qi downward, lending its cured savour to the autumn moistening soups.

Cautions — read first

Cured foods are high in sodium, so take care if your blood pressure is high
Do not put too many in (1 or 2 is plenty)

Preparation

Soak until soft, rinse clean and cut in half.

Origin

廣東（廣式臘味產區，秋冬生曬） — Cured meat cannot be imported into Australia (biosecurity); no compliant retail form — omit or substitute in AU versions

Availability in Australia

Herbal shops / specialists

Pairs well with

Watercress Dried bok choy / white cabbage Monk fruit Snakehead fish

Soups that use this ingredient · 2

Dried bok choy soup with apricot kernels and pork bonesNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

白菜乾南北杏蜜棗豬骨湯(菜乾湯)

moistens the lungsrelieves drynesscools internal fireAutumnWinter

街市Dried bok choy / white cabbage· 75 g (2 taels)百子櫃Sweet apricot kernel· 40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 sweet and 北杏 bitter apricot kernels combined百子櫃Bitter apricot kernel· 40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 sweet and 北杏 bitter apricot kernels combined百子櫃Candied honey date· 3街市Pork bones (femur / blade)· 600 g (1 catty)百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· 1 piece… +2

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Watercress and dried duck gizzard soup with pork bonesNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

西洋菜陳腎煲豬骨

clears heatcools internal firemoistens the lungsAutumnWinter

街市Watercress· 600 g (1 catty)百子櫃Dried cured duck gizzard· 2 to 3百子櫃Sweet apricot kernel· 40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 and 北杏 combined百子櫃Bitter apricot kernel· 40 g (1 tael) of 南杏 and 北杏 combined百子櫃Candied honey date· 2 to 3街市Pork bones (femur / blade)· 600 g (1 catty)… +1

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”