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Cordyceps Stewed Old Duck Tonic Soup

(Dongchong Xiacao Dun Laoya, 冬虫夏草炖老鸭)

 

Cordyceps Stewed Old Duck Soup is a medicinal tonic dish that uses cordyceps and an aged male duck as its main ingredients. It nourishes the lungs, relieves asthma, strengthens weakness, slows aging, replenishes jing (vital essence), and enhances immunity.
Because it is high in protein, it offers supportive benefits for cough and asthma caused by pulmonary tuberculosis, nocturia due to kidney deficiency, and post-illness fatigue and weakness.

 

TCM Therapeutic Effects

• Tonifies the kidneys and calms breathlessness; strengthens the lungs while enhancing qi and blood.
• Suitable for the elderly, those with fatigue, anemia, aversion to cold, chronic cough due to lung deficiency, shortness of breath, and weakness in the waist and legs.

 

Nutritional Value

Duck meat is high-protein and low-fat, with protein levels ranging from 16% to 25%, higher than most livestock meats.
Its main proteins are easy to digest and rich in essential amino acids.

 

Method 1

Ingredients

• Cordyceps 15 g (冬虫夏草 / Dōngchóng xiàcǎo)
• One old male duck (老雄鸭 / Lǎo xióng yā)

 

Preparation

1. Clean the duck thoroughly, remove feathers and entrails, and cut off the head.
2. Place 5 pieces of cordyceps inside the duck cavity, and the rest inside the duck’s abdomen.
3. Add an appropriate amount of clean water, place in a ceramic pot, and steam until fully cooked and tender.

 

Method 2

Ingredients

• Duck meat 200 g (老鸭 / Lǎo yā)
• Cordyceps 6 g
• Mai Dong (Ophiopogon / 麦冬) 9 g
• Chuan Bei (Fritillaria / 川贝) 9 g
• 5 conches (螺蛳 / Luó sī)
• Salt as needed

 

Preparation

1. Remove bones and skin from the duck meat (200 g), add water, conches, and seasonings, and bring to a boil.
2. Once the duck meat becomes tender, add cordyceps, Mai Dong, and Chuan Bei.
3. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, and serve the soup together with the meat.

 

Recommended Intake

Consume once every 1–2 weeks.

 

Cordyceps (冬虫夏草, Dongchong Xiacao)

“Cordyceps” refers to a medicinal complex of a fungal stroma and the mummified larva of moth insects. It is formed when the fungus Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., belonging to the Clavicipitaceae family, parasitizes the larvae of ghost moths.

 

Effects

• Tonifies the kidneys, benefits the lungs
• Stops bleeding, resolves phlegm

 

Indications

• Lumbago and weakness in knees
• Chronic cough, deficiency-type asthma
• Pulmonary tuberculosis with blood-streaked sputum (痰血)

 

Contraindications

Avoid when exterior pathogens (表邪) are present—e.g., common cold, fever.

 

Mai Dong (Ophiopogon japonicus, 麦冬)

Ophiopogon (Mai Dong) is a plant of the family Asparagaceae, genus Ophiopogon. The dried tuberous root is a widely used medicinal herb with a long history in China, recorded as a superior-grade herb in the ancient classic Shennong Bencao Jing (《神农本草经》).

 

Key TCM Functions

Flavor: sweet, slightly bitter
Nature: slightly cold
Enters: Heart, Lung, Stomach meridians

 

• Nourishes yin and generates fluids

Helps with thirst, dry throat, and fluid deficiency.

 

• Moistens the lungs and clears the heart

Used for:

• Dry cough due to lung dryness
• Scanty sputum
• Chronic deficiency cough (劳咳)
• Throat swelling and pain
• Irritability, insomnia, palpitations

 

• Benefits the stomach

Improves poor appetite and epigastric discomfort due to stomach yin deficiency.

 

• Moistens the intestines

Helps relieve constipation due to dryness.

 

Modern Pharmacological Findings

Mai Dong may:

• Enhance immune function
• Protect the myocardium; anti-arrhythmic effects
• Lower blood sugar (polysaccharides improve thirst and polyuria in diabetics)
• Provide sedative and antimicrobial effects

 

How to Use Mai Dong

• As tea: Steep in hot water; can be re-infused several times.
• In soups: Combine with lotus seeds, chicken, or pork bones for enhanced nourishment.
• In congee: Add a small amount while cooking for a restorative effect.

 

Precautions

Avoid in:

• Diarrhea
• Spleen–stomach deficiency cold (脾胃虚寒)
  May worsen symptoms in cold-type constitutions; follow medical guidance.

 

Chuan Bei (川贝, Fritillaria)

Chuan Bei refers to the dried bulbs of plants such as Fritillaria cirrhosa and Fritillaria unibracteata, widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.

 

Core Actions

• Moistens the lungs and stops cough (润肺止咳)
• Clears heat and transforms phlegm (清热化痰)

 

Often used for:

• Dry cough from lung heat
• Chronic deficiency cough (阴虚劳嗽)
• Blood-streaked sputum due to dryness and heat

Can be cooked with pear, loquat, or made into powder for direct intake.

 

Primary Functions & Indications

• Moistens lungs, stops cough

• Dry cough from lung heat
• Chronic dry cough due to yin deficiency

 

• Clears heat and transforms phlegm

• Thick yellow sputum from phlegm-heat
• Cough and asthma from phlegm-heat

 

• Dissolves nodules and reduces swelling

Used for:

• Lymph node swellings (瘰疬)
• Mastitis, breast abscess (乳痈)

 

• Antibacterial effects

Modern research shows inhibitory activity against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

 

Contraindications

• Spleen–stomach yang deficiency (脾胃虚寒)—may worsen symptoms
• Pregnant women, infants, diabetics—use only under medical supervision
• Must NOT be combined with:
  • Aconite (附子)
  • Chuan Wu (川乌)
  • Cao Wu (草乌)
    These combinations may cause severe toxicity.

 

How to Use

• Double-boiling (steaming) with pear or rock sugar—a classic remedy in autumn for lung dryness.
• Taken as powder mixed with warm water.

 

Identification of Genuine Chuan Bei

Chuan Fritillaria (川贝母)

• Round or conical bulb
• Milky white appearance
• Base slightly wider and stands upright—called “Guanyin sitting on a lotus” (观音坐莲)

 

Zhe Bei (浙贝母)

• More bitter
• Stronger in clearing heat and phlegm; suitable for hot-type coughs

 

Ping Bei

• Cheaper substitute often sold instead of authentic Chuan Bei
• Inferior in effect and price