The mountainous area of Bình Liêu, Quảng Ninh, is known for its unique cultural colors, beautiful natural scenery, and many distinctive specialties of the region’s ethnic communities. Among them is the famous Bình Liêu black muscovy duck.
Savor the Sweet, Fragrant Specialty of Bình Liêu Black Muscovy Duck
Bình Liêu black muscovy duck is a native breed with an entirely black body and few diseases. Black muscovy ducks are raised in most communes and townships of Bình Liêu District. In the past, each household raised only a few to eat during the Lunar New Year, the new rice celebration, planting and harvesting festivals, or to serve honored guests…
An entirely black muscovy duck breed. Photo: Quảng Ninh Newspaper.
Today, Bình Liêu black muscovy ducks are raised by local people in greater numbers and therefore appear more often in their daily meals. They have become a specialty at restaurants and hotels in Quảng Ninh and are loved by visitors.
Black muscovy ducks are raised entirely using natural methods, without growth-promoting feed. They are allowed to roam freely in rice fields after the harvest, where they eat grains left over from the season. The ducks grow on natural food supplemented with rice, corn, cassava, and green vegetables, resulting in firm, sweet, and clean meat.
Photo: luichis.com.
Because they are raised naturally, black muscovy ducks have a slow growth period. They usually reach maturity after 8 months and weigh from 2kg to 4kg. Once mature, black muscovy ducks fly very well and can travel quite far at high speed.
Bình Liêu black muscovy ducks are commonly prepared in many different dishes, such as glass-noodle soup, boiled duck, stir-fried duck with lemongrass and chili, duck salad, duck stir-fried with bamboo shoots, and sliced stir-fried duck…
The “Dinosaur Backbone” in the remote borderland of Bình Liêu. Photo: Nguyễn Khai Trung.
To make boiled muscovy duck, choose ducks weighing around 2kg or more. The tastiest are female ducks preparing to lay eggs, as they have small bones and plenty of meat.
Before boiling, remove the feathers and wash the duck with salt, rice wine, or ginger to eliminate the odor. Then crush ginger and lemongrass and place them inside the duck, add a tablespoon of coarse salt, fill the pot with water until the duck is submerged, cover it, and boil over high heat.
The many streams are suitable for raising black muscovy ducks. Illustrative photo: N.H.
When the water boils, remove the lid and skim off the foam. After boiling for about 10 minutes, turn the duck over and cook for another 10 minutes. Pierce the duck’s thigh with chopsticks; if no red liquid comes out, the duck is cooked. Remove the cooked duck, let it cool, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. The duck broth can also be used to cook arrowroot glass-noodle soup or porridge, making a rich and flavorful accompaniment.
Boiled muscovy duck. Illustrative photo: vaobepcungban.
When cooked, black muscovy duck has dark brown meat with firm fibers and a distinctive fragrance. It is easy to taste the sweetness of the duck meat along with the aroma of ginger and lemongrass. Boiled black muscovy duck is served with soy sauce and garlic or ginger fish sauce, accompanied by finely sliced coriander.
To prepare sliced stir-fried black muscovy duck, carefully separate the lean meat and cut it into thin pieces, then marinate it with lemongrass, chili, and salt for 15-20 minutes so the flavors are absorbed evenly. Heat cooking oil in a pan, then sauté finely chopped lemongrass with onion and garlic until evenly golden and fragrant. Add the black muscovy duck and stir-fry until the meat firms up and releases its aroma.
Sliced stir-fried black muscovy duck. Photo: quangninh.gov.vn.
When preparing dishes from Bình Liêu black muscovy duck, local people always cook the duck’s offal with local arrowroot glass noodles using traditional methods. The dish is simple and rustic, but the chewy, crunchy texture of the arrowroot noodles combined with the sweetness of the black muscovy duck offal satisfies even the most discerning diners.
Bình Liêu arrowroot glass noodles. Photo: wyndhamhalong.
Amid the rolling mountains and forests of northeastern Quảng Ninh, dishes made from Bình Liêu black muscovy duck always attract visitors who enjoy culinary travel. Check iVIVU’s blog daily for more useful articles to make your trip truly complete!
