Quick Answer: What Is Nanjing Duck Blood Soup?
Nanjing’s familiar duck blood vermicelli soup (鸭血粉丝汤, yāxuè fěnsī tāng) combines cooked, set duck blood with glass noodles, duck broth and often duck offal. The blood is served in tender pieces, not as liquid raw blood poured into the bowl.[1][2]
- Main textures: Soft blood cubes, slippery noodles and firmer or creamier duck organs.
- Soup: A savory duck-based broth, sometimes with other stock mixed in.
- Variations: The mix of offal, tofu, garnishes and added chili depends on the preparation.
A related older Nanjing soup has no vermicelli, so the complete menu name matters.[1][3]
The English name can make this soup sound more unfamiliar than its appearance suggests. A bowl contains several distinct ingredients with different textures. Identifying the blood pieces, noodles, offal and broth separately makes it easier to understand what you are ordering.
Duck Blood, Glass Noodles and the Other Ingredients
| 構成要素 | Role in the bowl |
|---|---|
| Cooked duck blood | Set, cooked blood cut into pieces, with a smooth and tender texture. |
| Glass noodles | Slippery, chewy strands that absorb the broth. |
| Duck offal | Liver brings a softer texture; gizzards and intestines offer firmer or springier bites. |
| Duck broth | The savory liquid that connects the ingredients. |
| Tofu and garnishes | Fried tofu pieces, vegetables and seasonings vary between bowls. |
Fensi (粉丝, fěnsī) here means starch-based glass noodles. Sweet-potato vermicelli is a documented choice, so rice vermicelli is not an automatic translation. Tofu puffs are a separate soybean ingredient, distinct from the blood pieces.[2][3]
Liver, intestine and gizzard are common; heart and other parts appear in some packaged formulas. The selection varies by preparation.[2][4]
Why the Components Are Prepared Separately
Blood is set and cooked before being portioned. Offal is separately cleaned and cooked, often braised, while stock is made as another component. The bowl is assembled from these prepared ingredients.[1][3]
The broth flavors the pieces and noodles as they come together. Noodles continue absorbing liquid, changing their texture if the bowl stands.[1][5]
Older Nanjing Soup and Modern Vermicelli Versions
Older duck blood soup (鸭血汤, yāxuè tāng) was served without noodles, sometimes with a flaky duck-fat flatbread. The familiar vermicelli version is a related expression of Nanjing’s duck-centered food culture within Jiangsu cuisine.[1][5]
One convenience format separates duck ingredients, vermicelli, tofu, vegetables, seasoning and chili oil into packets. It adapts the assembled bowl for packaged use; contents and preparation directions remain product-specific.[3][4]
How to Read the Menu and Choose a Bowl
Confirm noodles and the offal selection when reading the Chinese food name. Ask separately about chili oil, which can be an added seasoning.[1][3]
Removing blood or offal does not make animal-based broth vegetarian. Duck stock may also be mixed with other meat or bone broths. For packaged soup, check every sachet and follow the stated storage and preparation instructions.[1][3]
FAQs About Nanjing Duck Blood Soup
Is duck blood soup made with liquid raw blood?
No. The familiar pieces are set, cooked blood.
Are the noodles always rice noodles?
No. Sweet-potato-starch glass noodles are a documented option.
Does every bowl contain all the duck organs?
No. The selection changes with the shop or product.
Can it be vegetarian if the duck pieces are removed?
No. Duck-based or mixed meat stock remains an animal ingredient.
出典
[1] Cheng Yao, Nanjing Local Chronicles Office. Nanjing Duck Blood Soup Without Vermicelli
[2] Nanjing Cherry Duck Industry Co., published by China Food Safety News. Cherry Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup
[3] Jiangsu Market Regulation, published by China Quality News. Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup: A Production-Site Visit
[4] Nanjing Guanshengyuan Food Factory Group, published by China Food Safety News. Yuan Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup: A Packaged Preparation
[5] Nanjing Daily, published by Jiangsu Television. Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup: Freshly Served and Packaged Forms