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Huangshan braised pigeon
黄山炖鸽 huángshān dùn gē — squab slow-braised with Chinese yam in a clear ginger broth
In the villages below the Huangshan mountains of Anhui, pigeon slowly stewed with Chinese yam in a clay pot is a classic nourishing dish, given to people recovering from illness and served to guests in cold weather. The broth is clear, light and gingery; the dark, rich squab turns tender enough to pull off the bone, and the yam goes soft and slightly creamy. Bring the pot to the table and eat the meat with rice, sipping the broth between mouthfuls. Squab is sold by good butchers and Asian grocers, often frozen. Chef's tip: wear gloves when peeling the yam; its sticky juice makes many people's hands itch.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse 2 squab pigeons, trim off any fat at the tail and cut each in half if your pot is small. Use a separate board for raw poultry and wash your hands after.
Step 2: Put the pigeons in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and blanch for 3 minutes to remove the scum. Drain and rinse under warm water.
6 minStep 3: Put the pigeons in a clay pot or heavy casserole with 1 oz fresh ginger, 2 spring onions and 6 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and skim off any foam.
8 minStep 4: Cover and simmer over a very low heat for 60 minutes, with just a few bubbles breaking the surface.
60 minStep 5: Add 10 ½ oz Chinese yam (shan yao) and 1 tbsp dried goji berries and simmer for 30 minutes more, until the yam is tender to a knife. A common mistake is adding the yam at the start: by the end it has dissolved and clouded the broth.
30 minStep 6: Check the thickest part of the thigh: the pigeon must reach 165°F (165 °F) and the meat should pull easily from the bone. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 pinch ground white pepper and serve in bowls with the broth.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does huangshan braised pigeon take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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