This is a fabulous dish; it is visually very appealing with great flavour combinations. The crispy duck is prepared in the traditional pekin style. It is for the determined and serious cook as it is quite time-consuming and a little tricky to prepare. For the less adventurous, Chinese-style roast duck is readily available from Chinatown, and will substitute quite satisfactorily.

Crispy duck
Place the maltose, vinegar and water in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and reserve.

Trim the wing tips from the duck. Rinse and thoroughly dry the duck, inside and out, and place on its back on a clean work surface.

In a small bowl, mix together the chopped ginger, spring onions and star anise, and spoon the mixture into the cavity of the duck. Carefully pour the Shao Xing wine into the cavity too, and use metal skewers through the flaps of skin to seal the opening completely.

Loosely tie a piece of butcher’s twine around the neck of the duck. Make a small incision in the skin, behind the piece of twine, carefully insert the nozzle of a bicycle pump and pump to inflate the skin. This is what helps the duck to crisp up as it cooks. Withdraw the pump and tie the twine tightly, trapping the air under the skin.

Carefully transfer the duck, still on its back, to a baking tray. Bring the maltose syrup back to the boil and pour a little over the duck. Return it to the heat and when it boils again, pour a little more over the duck. Repeat this procedure several times more, until the flesh of the duck tightens. Place the duck in front of a fan for 2 hours to dry.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Place a small baking tray filled with water on the bottom of the oven. Roast the duck for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 170ºC (325ºF) and roast for a further 40 minutes. The initial blast of heat will cook the skin quickly and steam the flesh inside. Remove the duck from the oven, cut away the twine and remove the skewers. Let the duck rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Once the duck is cool, carefully bone out the duck legs and breasts.

Sesame dressing
Place the peanut oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chilli into a saucepan and heat on a high flame to infuse the oil with the aromatic ingredients. Stir from time to time so they don’t burn. As soon as the aromatics start to colour remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool a little, then strain the infused oil into a clean jar. Add the lemon juice to taste together with the light soy sauce. Lightly toast the sesame seeds and add them to the dressing.

Spicy wontons
Heat the oil to 160ºC (325ºF) degrees. Fry the wonton skins, a few at a time, for about 30 seconds on each side. Make sure they stay flat in the cooking oil – if the oil is too hot, they are likely to bend and become misshapen. Remove from the oil and drain on absorbent paper.

Toast the spices in a hot oven until they are fragrant, then grind them finely in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Season with the spicy salt.

Water spinach salad
Blanch the rice vermicelli in boiling water for a few seconds until al dente, then gently rinse under cold running water. Slice the red onion as finely as possible using a Japanese binriner or a very sharp knife. Peel the cucumber and slice into long, thin hair-like strands. Drain the water chestnuts and cut them into 1⁄2 cm (1⁄4 in) dice. Lightly toast the sesame seeds. Place all the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss gently, so they are well combined.

To serve
Preheat the griller to its hottest temperature. Arrange the duck pieces on a flat baking tray lined with foil and place under the grill to warm through and crisp up the skin. Transfer to absorbent paper to drain off any excess fat. Allow to cool slightly, then break legs into small bite-sized pieces and slice the breast lengthways.

Lay the wontons on a flat surface and sprinkle them with the ground spice mix.

Toss the salad with the sesame dressing, adjusting the balance of flavours to your taste. Divide the salad into 6 even portions. Toss each portion with an equal amount of duck.

To serve, swirl a spiral of sticky soy around each plate and place a spicy wonton skin in the centre. Carefully pile a little mound of duck salad on top of each spicy wonton, then top with another spicy wonton and another portion of salad. Finish each stack with a final spicy wonton.


Recipe from Contemporary Australian Food by Teage Ezard with photographs by Ned Meldrum. Published by Hardie Grant Books.