Mi vit tiem lives or dies by the broth. The herbs should smell warm without turning bitter, and the duck leg should be tender while the skin still has a little chew. The fried duck legs go into boiling water for 5 minutes to wash off the excess oil, which keeps the bowl from feeling heavy.
The herbs and shiitake mushrooms join the pot only for the last 30 minutes, since their aroma fades in a long simmer. The pork bones need a full 2 hours, and steady skimming is what makes the broth clear and sweet.
This batch weighs about 9.4kg, at roughly 41 calories per 100g.
Method
Peel the ginger, pound it with 5g salt, then stir in 20ml white rice wine. Soak 30g shiitake mushrooms until soft. Soak the dried tangerine peel, scrape off the white pith and chop it small. Wipe the dried monk fruit clean and crush it.
Rinse the cinnamon, black cardamom, clove, star anise and Sichuan pepper, then toast them until fragrant. Leave the shallots whole, slice the galangal, cut the lemongrass into lengths and bruise it, then fry them all in oil until golden and lift them out. Keep the pan of oil for the duck.
Wash the pork bones in lightly salted water, blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes and rinse again. Put the bones in a pot with 6 liters of cold water and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, then add the fried shallots, lemongrass and galangal and simmer for another 30 minutes. Skim the foam often.
Rub 10g salt over the duck legs, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse and trim off the fat. Marinate the duck in the ginger, salt and wine mixture for 30 minutes. Lift out the ginger and shake off the liquid without rinsing. Brush 5g dark soy sauce over the skin and leave for 5 minutes.
Fry the duck in oil at 160 degrees C, skin side first, then turn it over. Lift the legs out once they are evenly golden. Blanch the fried duck in boiling water for 5 minutes to wash off the oil.
Season the broth with 45g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 20g salt. Add the duck legs, the toasted herbs and the shiitake mushrooms, then simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
Stir in 10g seasoning powder and 10g oyster sauce until dissolved, then turn off the heat.
Blanch the noodles and bok choy, divide them into bowls, arrange a duck leg and the mushrooms on top and ladle over the broth. Serve with soy sauce and pickled papaya on the side.
Tips
Blanch the duck in boiling water straight after frying to draw off some of the oil.
Do not add the herbal mix early, as a long simmer costs its aroma.
Skim steadily while the bones simmer, which is what keeps the broth clear.
Break up the dried monk fruit before it goes into the pot so it gives up all its sweetness.
Blanch the bok choy in a separate pot, since cooking it in the herbal broth turns the broth green.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.