Nutty & Rich! Rice Cooker Perilla Duck Soup
Super Easy 1-Serving Perilla Duck Soup in a Rice Cooker (Delicious with Kimchi Too!)
Elevate your meals with this simple yet profoundly flavorful Perilla Duck Soup, perfect for a restorative dish or a special occasion. Made effortlessly in your rice cooker, it’s a comforting and nutritious choice.
Main Ingredients- 2 pieces of processed duck meat (about hand-sized)
- 8 Tbsp fine perilla seed powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp dried anchovy powder
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 300ml water
- 1 Tbsp soup soy sauce
- A pinch of Sichuan pepper powder (3 shakes)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Duck meat is larger and often more expensive than chicken, making it sometimes difficult to consume a whole piece alone. For convenient portioning, I recommend dividing the cut duck meat into individual portions of 1-2 pieces per freezer bag. This allows you to thaw and cook just the amount you need, ensuring freshness and ease of preparation.
Step 2
If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak 2 mushrooms in lukewarm water until softened before use. If both the duck and mushrooms are frozen or not yet rehydrated, you can start by placing them along with 300ml of water into your rice cooker and running the ‘Reheat’ function for 9 minutes. This initial step helps to tenderize the ingredients and begin building a richer broth.
Step 3
Pre-gathering your powdered seasonings makes the cooking process much smoother. For single-person households, if you often find onions going to waste, consider using onion powder. It’s a practical choice that can be stored frozen and used as needed. For a single serving of soup or stew, 1 tablespoon of onion powder and 1 tablespoon of anchovy powder provide the perfect balance of flavor, resulting in a clean broth without the need to strain out solids. Prepare your onion powder, anchovy powder, Sichuan pepper powder, and perilla seed powder for this recipe.
Step 4
Now, let’s assemble the dish in the rice cooker. Add the thawed duck pieces, the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (cut into bite-sized pieces), 1 tablespoon of anchovy powder, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 4 tablespoons of fine perilla seed powder, and 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce to the inner pot.
Step 5
Pour in the 300ml of water carefully. Stir everything together gently with a spatula to ensure the ingredients are well combined. (Note: My soup has a slightly reddish hue because I used purple onion powder.)
Step 6
Close the rice cooker lid and select the ‘Reheat’ function for 9 minutes. After this first cycle, you’ll notice the broth has started to develop. Now, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of perilla seed powder. Stir thoroughly to prevent sticking, then run the ‘Reheat’ function again for another 9 minutes.
Step 7
Once the second 9-minute cycle is complete, check if the duck meat is fully cooked. You can test this by inserting a chopstick; if no pinkness or blood appears, it’s ready. If it still needs more cooking, simply run the ‘Reheat’ function for another 9 minutes. (Pro Tip: While the ‘Multi-Cook’ or ‘Steam’ function can cook everything in 20 minutes, using ‘Reheat’ twice helps prevent the perilla powder from splattering and making a mess inside the cooker due to the pressure. This method keeps your appliance cleaner.)
Step 8
You may see some duck fat floating on the surface, but don’t worry – duck fat is water-soluble and can be left in for added richness. To finish, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of perilla seed powder and about 3 shakes of Sichuan pepper powder over the soup. This final touch enhances the nutty aroma and balances the richness, resulting in a perfectly delicious Perilla Duck Soup. Enjoy your meal!
