Five Spiced Soy Sauce Duck Gizzards...

Duck gizzards for the Asian in me!! One can usually enjoy these sliced up in a stir-fry at Chinese restaurants but nowadays, they can be ordered prepared whole thanks to Chinese mom and pop shops selling all-parts canard like Kung-Fu Duck and similar take-out counters. Think neck, tongue, head and yummy webbed feet :). Gizzard is a small organ, part of the digestive tract in some animals that aid in grinding up hard foods and particles. It is very high in protein- 44g and low in fat with just one cup serving (about 12 pieces). #eateverythingwastenothing

My mother made these while growing up. Her signature style was salting, then drying to cure much like hard jerky. I remember pieces strung together and hung to air-dry like laundry in the basement for days to the horror of my non-Asian friends. My Asian friends didn't notice cause chances were their parents were doing the same thing :D. But undeniably tasty and chewy they were! Not subjecting my kids to hanging offals, I like the saucy kind you cook over the stove for an hour with soy sauce and five spices. Nothing like that beautiful fragrance along with the nose of garlic and ginger wafting in the air. My kids called out the intoxicating aroma walking in the front door from school. Chicken wings they ask? When they found out it was an offal matter, they shrugged and lapped it up with the  same gusto at dinner. The only wish was that I added boiled eggs to the brew. A note for next time, and there'll certainly be a next time. 

Five Spiced Soy Sauce Duck Gizzards

1 lb. duck gizzard, membranes removed (look for fresh, red pieces in packages at Asian supermarkets)

(1/2 tsp. salt and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch for cleaning)
1 Tbsp. oil

2 to 3 thinly sliced ginger

1 green onion, cut into pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pieces of star anise

1/2 tsp. five spiced powder

a few dashes of ground white powder
3 Tbsp. good soy sauce
1 cup water

Rinse and soak the gizzards in a bowl of cool water to cover for 1/2 hour to an hour. This will help soften the membranes which will be removed before cooking. You won't want to have rubbery stringy membranes in the way of the delectable organ grinding. 

Drain the water. Pull and rub off the membranes. Add salt and cornstarch to the gizzards and mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow impurities to be released and eradicate some of the offal smell. Rinse well in cold water several times, until water runs clear. Drain well.

I like to use a soy sauce brew that is slightly sweet and a rich umami soy flavour. Japanese brands Yamasa and Kikkoman has these attributes. Use a soy sauce to impart the flavours you enjoy. Add a little sugar for sweetness if needed for balance.

Heat a sauce pan with the oil and add ginger slices, onions and garlic; cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the star anise, five-spiced powder and pepper. Mix and cook for 1 minute with the duck gizzard. Pour in the soy sauce and water. Cover with lid until the mixture boils. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until the mixture turns syrupy (coating the back of a spoon).

Serve hot or cold with a sprinkle of sliced green onions and with the sauce.

Deliciously aromatic and beautifully lacquered in the thickened sauce with the resulting orbs slightly sticky, flavourful with a springy chew! It was a delectable accompaniment to a meal of Pork Bones and Preserved Egg Congee along with deep-fried dough fritters and Chinese greens.

If you love to eat and experiment with off-cuts, try my Yakitori Grilled Chicken Hearts, Spicy Pork Intestines Stir-Fry and Chieko's Fermented Squid Guts! Happy offal-ling!