One of northern Taiwan's defining winter remedies, Jiangmuya traces its origins to the salt duck of Quanzhou, Fujian, brought to Taiwan by early migrants and gradually reshaped through localization. In the 1980s, Taiwanese entrepreneurs began incorporating sesame oil, rice wine, and Chinese medicinal herbs, transforming the originally drier dish into the deeply hued, richly fragrant Taiwanese Ginger Duck known today. The recipe typically calls for male Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata)—prized for their firm, braise-worthy flesh. The duck is stir-fried in sesame oil with aged ginger to lock in the juices, then slow-simmered in rice wine and a proprietary herb blend in a clay pot for one to two hours.

The mature ginger (jiangmu) at the heart of the dish is rich in gingerols and shogaols—compounds known to warm the body, stimulate circulation, and reduce inflammation. Duck, by contrast, is cooling in nature: lean, high in protein, and moistening—an ideal counterbalance to ginger's heat. Herbs such as tangshen, or codonopsis, and dong quai further support blood and qi. The result is a deeply nourishing broth that invigorates without overheating, warming and well-balanced on the palate.

New Taipei's Many Takes on Ginger Duck

In New Taipei City, Ginger Duck has evolved into a culinary culture of its own. Bawei Ginger Duck, famed for its charcoal-simmered broth, draws long queues every winter with its rich, full-bodied stock; it has since grown into a chain with locations across Taiwan. Tseng's Ginger Duck takes a lighter approach, its broth delicately scented with wolfberries and served in generous portions—a perennial favorite for group dinners. Some Taipei establishments have gone further still, debuting Ginger Duck made with egg-laden swimming crab: the sweetness of mud crab melds into the warming broth, while the crab's naturally cooling properties temper the ginger's intensity, yielding a more layered, balanced flavor.

Remarkably, the dish has since come full circle. As Taiwanese business owners crossed to Fujian in the 1990s, they carried their Taiwanese-style Ginger Duck with them, completing a cultural loop that speaks to the dynamism and reach of Taiwan's food culture.