Dai zi shang chao, braised duck and pigeon

Dai zi shang chao, braised duck and pigeon

Main dishes

A dish from the traditional cuisine of the Confucius family (Shandong): marinated duck and pigeon, fried and then braised with spices, the pigeon served i…

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“Taking one’s son to the courtyard,” a dish originating from the refined kitchen of Confucius’s home in Qufu, features duck and pigeon. The duck and pigeon are first fried until they develop a rich red color, then braised slowly in a clay pot.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time30 min
  • Cook time2 hr 10 min
  • Resting30 min
  • Total3 hr 10 min
  • DifficultyHard
  • CostPricey
  • Cooking methodsaucepan
  • Estimated cost$41.70 $6.95 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.

Ingredients

6 people
  • $37.46
  • $0.26
  • $0.28
  • $0.53
  • $0.04
  • $2.78
  • $0.02
  • $0.06
  • $0.27

Prices from US supermarkets for 5 of 9 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Remove the duck and pigeon by making an incision on their backs, then rinse them. ≈ 8 min
  2. Marinate them for about 30 minutes using half the soy sauce and half the wine.
  3. Chop the shallots into pieces and the ginger into slices; place the ginger, Sichuan pepper, and cinnamon in a spice bag. ≈ 8 min
  4. Heat a generous amount of peanut oil in a wok and fry the duck and pigeon until they turn a vibrant red color (the pigeon should be cooked before the duck); drain them.
  5. Place a wire mesh or bamboo mat at the bottom of a clay pot, then add the duck and pigeon.
  6. Add the spice packet, the garlic, salt, the remaining soy sauce and wine, and the broth.
  7. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours.
  8. Place the duck on a plate and slide the pigeon into its belly. ≈ 2 min
  9. In the wok, caramelize the sugar with a small amount of oil, then add some duck broth and the cooking juices.
  10. Bring to a boil, add the dissolved cornstarch, and then add the chicken fat.
  11. Brush the duck and pigeon with this sauce and serve. ≈ 2 min

The bill

Dai zi shang chao, braised duck and pigeon

  • 1 duck (approximately 2 kg)$37.46
  • 4 tablespoons of soy sauce$0.26
  • 1 piece of ginger (30 g)$0.28
  • 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns$0.53
  • 1 teaspoon of salt$0.04
  • 1 litre of clear chicken broth$2.78
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar$0.02
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water$0.06
  • Peanut oil for deep frying$0.27

Total$41.70

that's $6.95 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Before you start

Ingredients

  • 1 duck (approximately 2 kg)
  • One young pigeon
  • 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
  • 3 green chilies
  • 1 piece of ginger (30 g)
  • 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns
  • One piece of Chinese cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 litre of clear chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
  • 1 tablespoon of melted chicken fat
  • Peanut oil for deep frying

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