Pièce De Résistance, Peking Duck with Mandarin Pancakes and Plum Sauce
Peking Duck
Ingredients
1 whole fresh duck.
15 ml of lemon juice
250 ml of boiling water
45 ml dark soya sauce
45 ml of honey
60 ml Shaoxing rice wine (dry sherry)
8 spring onions
8 garlic cloves
2 cm fresh ginger
15 ml 5 spice powder
5 ml ground ginger
Method:
Prick skin of the duck.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Lower duck into water and boil for about 2 minutes.
Remove and pat dry with a paper towel.
Loosen the skin of the duck with fingers and back of a wooden spoon – careful not to tear the skin.
In a saucepan bring lemon juice, honey, soya sauce, Shaoxing rice wine (sherry) 5 spice powder, ginger, and hoisin sauce to a boil.
Remove from heat and spoon over the duck, under the skin, and inside the duck.
Leave duck to hang in airy space for 5 hours, or leave uncovered in the fridge.
Chop up spring onion, garlic, and ginger and insert in the cavity of the duck.
Tie legs and secure wings.
Place duck on a roasting rack over roasting pan and roast in a preheated oven at 180C for 45 minutes.
Turn and roast for another hour 45 minutes till crispy and golden.
Serve with mandarin pancakes, finely julienned cucumber (deseeded) and carrot and shredded spring onions, and plum sauce.
Mandarin Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 cups flour (I used Chinese Hong Kong Flour)
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup boiling water
Method:
Place flour in a bowl, add boiling water mixing slowly.
Knead and leave for 1 hour.
Knead again until elastic and smooth.
Roll and divide into 16 balls.
Place on a floured board and flatten with the palm of hand into a disc shape.
Brush 8 of the discs with sesame oil.
Add another disc on top and flatten and join circles with oil on the inside.
Roll out again till a thin pancake is formed.
Fry in a hot wok till bubbles form about 1 minute then turn for about 30 seconds.
Cover with a damp tea towel.
When cool, carefully separate into 2 pancakes.
Plum Sauce
Ingredients:
15 ml of bean paste
30 ml plum sauce
15 ml light soya sauce
5 ml hoisin sauce
5 ml sesame oil
Assembly:
Place plum sauce in the center of the pancake, add cucumber and carrot, and crispy skin and duck meat, add shredded spring onion, and some more sauce.
Now, if you’re in China you have to do all these using chopsticks only (except sauce) including closing your pancake, picking it up, dipping it in sauce again, and popping in the mouth 😊
This was thoroughly enjoyed by hubby!
Prepared, tried, and tested Melanie Kramar
I think I’ve made a similar recipe once before and it was wonderful, but my version was quite a bit of work. I loved the flavors though. Thanks for sharing
Yes I see quite a bit of work on this one, but it does sound awesome.
It’s a great one for once a year on a special occasion. 🙂
♥
Sounds DELICIOUS! I’ve never attempted Peking Duck because it always seemed so time consuming.. I’m definitely going to have to give this one a try. It doesn’t seem too daunting!
Great to hear this news. Enjoy
One of my all time favourite dishes …. how lovely to see simple instructions. I might even be tempted – duck is very good here quack quack 🦆
Enjoy the quack