Peking Duck with Sides

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg pre‑cooked duck (1 pre‑cooked duck)
• 3 cm fresh ginger
• 4 Spring Onions
• potato starch
• 1 l peanut oil
• 2 tbsp 5‑spice mix (from the Asian store)
• 65 g Sichuan peppercorns
• 25 g black peppercorns
• 3 tbsp cumin
• 200 g coarse salt
• 4 Chinese pancakes (Asian store)
• 80 ml hoisin sauce
• 40 g scallion strips

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash and pat the duck dry. Mix all ingredients in a bowl for rubbing. Rub the duck inside and out thoroughly. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. 2.

   Brush the spices onto the duck as best you can. Peel and cut ginger into pieces. Wash, trim, and cut spring onions into ~3 cm lengths. Stuff the duck with ginger and spring onions and place on a heat‑proof plate. Fill a wok 5 cm high with water and add a suitable steaming basket. Bring water to boil, then set the duck with its plate onto the basket. Cover the wok and steam over low heat for 2 hours, skimming off fat as it drips and adding water if needed. Remove the duck from the wok and drain all liquid. Take out ginger and spring onions, then let the duck cool completely; it can be stored in the fridge.

3. 3.

   Before serving, cut the duck into quarters and coat with potato starch. Heat peanut oil in a wok or deep fryer. When the oil smokes, fry portions of the duck until crispy. The breasts should crisp in about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Use a fork to loosen meat from bones. Serve with Chinese pancakes, dipping sauces such as hoisin, and garnishes like scallions.