Medicinal herbs add an unusual complexity to the rich dark broth of pork, chicken, and braised duck. This Vietnamese noodle soup really does make you feel better.
Wash the duck legs in the rice wine and ginger. This will reduce the gamey taste of the duck.
Rinse the duck legs and pat dry.
Stir together the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, crushed garlic, and the five-spice powder.
Pierce the duck skins with a skin piercer, like this...
Smear the marinade all over the duck legs, getting some in under the skin if possible.
Allow to marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat the broiler to high.
Place the duck on a baking tray skin side up.
Broil the duck until the skin is dark brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
Turn over and broil for another 10 minutes.
Soup
Wash and quarter the carrot.
Peel and halve the onion.
Peel the garlic.
Rinse the shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate a little by soaking in warm water for 5 minutes. Remove the stems.
Toast the thumb of ginger over a flame then cut in half length-ways.
Rinse the medicinal herbs and star anise well and leave to soak in water for 10 minutes.
Put the medicinal herbs and star anise into a small muslin bag, or soup infuser.
In a large saucepan, add the stock, water, coconut juice, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and soup infuser.
Lay the duck legs into the broth.
Bring up to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 90 minutes. Skim off any foam while simmering.
Carefully remove the duck legs and set aside. The duck meat will be "fall off the bone” tender by this stage.
Remove the shiitake mushrooms and set aside.
Remove and discard all the other vegetables and medicinal herbs.
Strain the soup.
Taste the soup to access seasoning. It will likely require more, so add the 1 Tbsp fish sauce.
Serving
Bring another large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.
Blanch the bok choy for 1 minute. Allow to drain, cut in half length-ways, and set aside.
Blanch the egg noodles until cooked. 1 - 2 minutes if fresh, 4 - 5 minutes if dried.
Add one portion of noodles to a bowl. Top with a duck leg, 2 shiitake mushrooms, and a piece of bok choy. Ladle over the soup.