The Ying Chow restaurant in Adelaide sells dozens of its famous star anise and tea-smoked duck daily.

The duck is marinated in salt, pepper and 5 spices for up to 4 hours. Hang it in a cool well-aired spot and allow to drip dry. Line the bottom of an old wok with foil, and place green tea leaves (oolong), brown sugar, salt and a spoonful of flour on the foil. Place the duck on a rack over the mix. Cover the wok and smoke over a low flame for 15 - 25 minutes depending on the size of the duck.

After smoking, stuff the duck with ginger, spring onions and 3 or 4 ‘stars’ of star anise. Steam for about 30 - 40 minutes. Remove the duck from the steamer and drain off the fat. Just prior to serving, deep fry it briefly to crisp up the skin.

The beauty of this dish is the aroma of smoked tea leaves and aniseed infused into the duck.