Peking Duck

Peking Duck: Peking duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era. The meat is prized for its thin, crisp skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks bred specially for the dish are slaughtered after 65 days and seasoned before being roasted in a closed or hung oven.

Ingredients for Peking Duck

(serves 6):

• 1 large pot 3/4 full with water
• 1 whole duck, head on
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup salt
• 3 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 cups oil, hot

Method for Peking Duck:

• Preheat rotisserie oven to 190° C.
• Boil the water in the large pot.
• Add in 2 teaspoons of the five spice powder.
• Let the flavour be extracted into the boiling water.
• Soak the whole duck in the pot of boiling water.
• Remove it as soon as the skin changes colour.
• Sprinkle the inside of the duck with sugar, salt and five-spice powder.
• Rub the skin of the duck with molasses.
• Truss the duck with string and hang in an airing place for 2 hours, or put the duck in the refrigerator overnight without any cover. This will dry the skin of the duck so that it will be crispy.
• Bake the air dried duck in the pre-heated rotisserie oven for 45 minutes or until the skin is reddish brown.
• Peking duck is ready to be served.
• Before serving, pour hot oil over the skin to increase the crispiness.
• Carve the skin and meat from the duck, and serve with freshly made plum sauce.

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