Duck blood and vermicelli soup

Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup is a cherished traditional dish from Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in China. This flavorful soup is also enjoyed in other parts of China and bears similarities to a dish known as czernina, which is popular in Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania.

According to legend, this soup was created by accident. A poor man in Nanjing mixed duck blood and vermicelli together and discovered a delicious new dish. His culinary creation caught the attention of a wealthy man, who subsequently hired him to prepare it for his family, thus popularizing the dish.

The soup is prepared with a variety of ingredients, including duck blood, vermicelli, dried fried tofu, dried small shrimp, duck gizzards, duck intestines, duck livers, shallots, ginger, sesame oil, caraway, and various Chinese herbal medicines. Many believe these ingredients offer health benefits such as improving blood circulation, detoxifying the body, enhancing beauty, aiding digestion, and warming the stomach.

The key to this dish is the sweet potato-based vermicelli, which is smooth and tasty. Combined with duck blood, dried fried tofu, dried small shrimp, duck gizzards, duck intestines, duck livers, salt, shallots, ginger, sesame oil, and caraway, the result is a visually appealing, aromatic, and flavorful soup. It is a treat for the senses, enjoyed not only for its unique taste but also for its potential health benefits.