AROMATIC AND CRISPY DUCK

Serves 10–12 as a starter, or 6–8 as a main course.

Preparation & cooking time: about 6–8 hours & marinating & cooling time.

Because this dish is served with spring onions, cucumber and a sweetish bean sauce wrapped in pancakes, many people mistakenly believe this is the Peking duck, which though crispy, is not so aromatic.

One 2.3kg (51b) oven-ready duckling

2 teaspoons salt oil for deep-frying

For the marinade:

5–6 star anise pieces

1 tablespoon Sichuan red peppercorns

1 teaspoon cloves

2–3 cinnamon sticks

3–4 spring onions

3–4 pieces fresh ginger root, unpeeled

5–6 tablespoons Chinese rice wine

For serving:

20–24 duck pancakes

6–8 spring onions, thinly shredded

½ cucumber, thinly shredded

100ml (4fl oz) duck sauce or plum sauce

Remove the wing tips and the lumps of fat from inside the vent. Split the duck in half down the backbone. Rub the salt all over both sides, and marinate in a dish with the marinade for at least 4–6 hours, turning severaltimes.

Steam the duck pieces (skin-side up) with the marinade in a hot steamer over a high heat for at least 3–4 hours – have a kettle of boiling water ready to replenish when necessary. Remove from the cooking liquid and leave to cool for at least 6–8 hours – this is very important, for unless the duck is cold and dry, the skin will not be crispy.

To serve: deep-fry the duck pieces, skin-side down for 6–8 minutes or until crisp and brown, turning once in the last minute. Remove and drain.

To eat: scrape the meat from the bone and wrap it in the pancakes with strips of spring onions, cucumber and duck or plum sauce as when eating the Peking Duck, or alternatively, use crispy lettuce leaves (Webb or Iceberg) instead of the pancakes.

hancheng

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