Fragrant Roast Duck

Original Recipe By Amy Beh

1 whole duck, about 1½ kg, cleaned

Seasoning (combined)
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
Vinegar solution
250ml white rice vinegar
600ml water
2 tbsp maltose (mak ngah tong)

Pat dry the duck with a clean tea towel, and rub the inside and outside with seasoning. Combine vinegar, water and maltose in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Bathe the duck with the mixture for 5-10 minutes. Hang the duck out in an airy place to dry for about two hours.

Place duck on a roasting pan, and roast in a preheated oven at 180°C-190°C for about 30 minutes. Turn the duck around at intervals to ensure even roasting.

Heat wok with enough oil for deep-frying until oil is just hot. Deep-fry the duck until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove the duck and drain. Cut the duck into serving-size pieces and serve with sour plum sauce.

Braised duck traditional Teochew-style

Ingredients
1 duck, about 2 1/2kg

Marinade:
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp salt
20g galangal (lengkuas), sliced
2 Tbsps oil
2 Tbsps brown sugar
2 Tbsps white sugar
100g rock sugar

For the spice pouch:
1 stick cinnamon
8g licorice (gan cao)
150g dried tangerine peel
5 star anise
2 cloves
10g white peppercorns, smashed
50g galangal
2 litres water
60ml Chinese rose wine or rice wine

Seasoning:
1 Tbsp dark soya sauce (for colour)
4 Tbsps light soya sauce
3 Tbsps coarse salt or to taste

Garlic sauce:
Mix together:
2 Tbsps rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp sugar

Chilli sauce:
Mix together:
1 Tbsp bottled garlic chilli sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsps rice vinegar
1 stalk Chinese parsley for garnishing

Method
1. Wash duck thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen towel.

2. Mix the marinade and rub into the duck cavity. Close the cavity using a bamboo skewer. Leave duck to marinate for an hour in the refrigerator.

3. Bring 125 litres of water to a boil in a wok. Turn off the heat and lower the duck in the water to wash it briefly (inside and out). Remove duck to a colander to drain.

4. Heat the oil in a wok and add the sugar to melt over a low fire. Stir continuously until it caramelises. Set aside.

5. Place the spices — cinnamon, licorice, dried tangerine peel, star anise, cloves, peppercorns and galangal in a cotton pouch. Secure.

6. In a wok big enough to fit the duck, bring 2 litres of water, rock sugar and spice pouch to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Add the caramel, duck and seasonings. Simmer for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, turning the duck every 20 minutes.

8. Turn off the fire and leave the duck to immerse in the sauce for another hour.

9. Cut the duck into pieces and garnish with Chinese parsley. Serve with chilli and garlic sauce.

Braised duck (from chef Fong Yau Meng, Restoran Szechuan)

Ingredients

1.8kg duck
3 onions, shredded and mixed with cornflour

Seasoning:
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp A1 sauce
1 tbsp HP sauce
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
a little thick soya sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp chilli sauce
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp Chinese wine (Hua Tiao Chiew)
3 spring onions
1 piece young ginger
5kg water

Method
1. Clean duck and cut the back open. Baste the duck with both light and thick soya sauce.

2. Deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and place in pot.

3. Add seasoning and braise over medium heat for two hours.

4. Remove the layer of oil on the surface. Place braised duck on platter and pour the gravy over the duck when serving.

5. Fry shredded onions until crisp and aromatic. Sprinkle over the duck. Serve.

Fragrant Duck

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

1.75kg duck, cleaned and blotted with several pieces of paper kitchen towels.

Seasoning (A) (combined)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¾ tsp sugar

10-12 thin slices ginger

10 stalks spring onion

8-10 cloves garlic, crushed

4 star anise, break up the petals

Pound with a mortar:

1/8 tsp fennel seeds

1/8 tsp cumin seeds

1/8 tsp black pepper corns

Seasoning (B)

2-3 tbsp Premium light soy sauce

½ tsp Chinese five spice powder

Rub both the inside and outside of the duck with combined seasoning (A). Stuff the duck with half the ginger slices and half of the spring onion stalks.

Arrange the remainder of the ginger and spring onion, garlic, star anise and pounded fennel seeds, cumin seeds and black pepper on the base of a heatproof dish. Put the duck over and steam for 50-60 minutes or until duck is tender. Leave aside to cool.

Rub the duck all over with combined seasoning (B). Deep-fry the duck in hot oil. After turning the duck over, ladle hot oil over the bird to brown it evenly. Remove when done and cut into pieces before serving.