Some recipes don’t just nourish the body—they touch the heart. Salted Mustard Green Duck Stock (咸菜鸭汤) is one of them.
This fragrant, tangy, deeply nostalgic soup is a childhood staple across many Asian homes. Yet beyond its comforting flavours lies something even more remarkable: it naturally aligns with the principles of the GAPS Nutritional Protocol.
In this beautiful bowl of “home,” tradition meets therapeutic nourishment. Duck bones, joints, skin, and connective tissues release collagen, gelatin, minerals, and amino acids that help heal and seal the gut lining. The fermented salted mustard greens bring tangy acidity that support digestion, while sour plums, ginger, garlic, tamarind, and peppercorns create layers of flavour that are both warming and cleansing.
This humble soup is more than comfort food—It’s gut-supportive, mineral-rich, restorative nutrition.
Ingredients
Duck & Vegetables
- 1 kg duck parts (½ duck)—including feet, skin, muscles, head, joints, bones, fats and connective tissues
- 300 g fermented salted mustard greens (home fermented (自制咸菜) or good-quality store-bought)
- 2 tomatoes, quartered
- 2 sour plums / umeboshi
- A few slices of ginger
- A few cloves of garlic
- A few dried tamarind slices (assam)
- 1 small handful of white peppercorns
- Filtered water (enough to cover all ingredients by ~2 inches)
Instructions
1. Blanch the duck: Place duck parts into a pot of boiling water for 1–2 minutes. This helps to remove impurities and reduce gaminess. Rinse well and set aside.
2. Combine ingredients: In a large stock pot, add the blanched duck parts and all the other ingredients.
3. Add water & simmer: Pour filtered water over the ingredients, making sure water covers them by about 2 inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours.
4. Serve & enjoy: Taste the stock—rich, tangy, savory, hearty. Serve warm, optionally garnished with coriander. This is home in a bowl.
Notes & Tips
💛 Use all the parts of the duck including the entrails, like liver, heart and gizzards if available
The feet, skin, muscles, head, joints, bones, fats, connective tissues and organs add provide the gelatin, collagen, minerals, essential fatty acids and amino acids that support gut repair.
💛 Choose quality salted mustard greens
Homemade (fermented) is ideal, but wet market salted mustard works if the brine is clean and naturally fermented.
💛 Sour plums add therapeutic acidity
Umeboshi supports digestion and helps balance the richness of duck.
Final Thoughts
This Salted Mustard Greens Duck Stock is a beautiful reminder that our traditional foods often hold innate wisdom.
– A classic that tastes like our childhood…
– A healing stock that nourishes the gut…
– A bowl that comforts the soul while rebuilding the body from within.
If you’re looking for a delicious way to incorporate gut-healing stock into your family’s routine, this Asian soup is something you must try.
🌿 Ready to explore more gut-healing Asian recipes?
Visit more recipes on GAPS for Families and discover how traditional cooking can restore health naturally.
✨ If you’re a mum wanting to begin your GAPS journey, I’d love to guide you. Contact Us or leave a comment to join our next GAPS starter challenge.
Your healing begins at home—with one nourishing bowl at a time.
