CRISPY AROMATIC DUCK

You may be surprised to learn that the roots of this iconic Chinese dish are not to be found in the Forbidden City in Beijing，but in the less glamorous kitchens of 1960s North London.The story goes that a former chef from the chinese embassy decided to set up his own London restaurant.He was a master in the traditional methods of making Peking duck-a process that requires two days of preparation and a whole duck to be roasted each time to ensure that the finished bird has a glossy，glass-like crispiness.There being little demand for whole ducks，the chef devised this technique of braising and then deep-frying portions of duck to serve with the traditional condiments of pancakes and hoisin sauce.It was an instant hit and made him a superstar.to this day i am friends with the chefs son，and this recipe is one I found in a scrapbook his father gave to me a few years back.i have added some small touches but the heart of the recipe remains the same

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

4 duck legs

6 star anise

1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns

1 teaspoon cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

4 teaspoons salt

white parts of 4 spring onions

4 thumb-sized pieces of peeled fresh root ginger

6 tablespoons shaoxing rice wine

2 litres chicken stock

vegetable oil，for deep-frying

To serve

12 Chinese Pancakes，steamed（for homemade，but you don’t need to bother making your own，as there are some fantastic ones available from Chinese supermarkets）

1 bunch of spring onions，finely sliced

1 cucumber，finely sliced

hoisin sauce（use ready-made but temper the sweetness and add some citrus notes by either stirring in a little lemon juice or grating in some preserved plums）

Five-spice Salt

Ginger Spring Onion Sesame Oil

1.Run a knife around the bottom of each duck leg to free the skin from the bone This will allow for shrinkage during cooki

2.Use a pestle and mortar to crush the whole spices then dust lightly over the duck legs with the salt

3.Lay the legs flat on a tray and refrigerate for 6 hours

4.Dust off the excess salt，keeping the spices in place，and transfer the duck legs to a saucepan with the remaining ingredients except the oil.bring to a gentle simmer-the secret is not to boil the duck for it to remain moist

5.Transfer the duck legs and cooking liquor to a steamer and steam over a low heat for 4 hours or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.Alternatively，keep the legs in the saucepan and braise over a low heat for 3 hours.Leave to cool in the cooking liquor

6. Lift the duck legs out of the cooking liquor and remove the thigh bone only from each leg by gently teasing it away with your hands then pat dry with kitchen paper chill the duck until needed-it helps the deep-frying process if left to dry out overnight. The liquor can be stored in the freezer until you next cook up a batch.

7. When ready to serve, heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep -fat fryer to 180°C. Dry the legs again to minimize spitting, then deep-fry, in 2 batches, until crisp-place skin-side down in the oil, then turn once when the underside is crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.

8. To serve, scrape the meat off the bone and serve with the accompaniments

hancheng

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