Purchase Sichuan peppercorns at Chinese markets and specialty grocers. Asian markets have great prices on whole duck; select one that is fresh and not frozen or thawed. In Mandarin, this duck is called Xiang Su Quan Ya.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1duckabout 4 pounds, with head and feet on
Seasonings:
2tablespoonskosher salt
2tablespoonsSichuan peppercorns
1star anise8 robust points
2cloves
½teaspoonChinese 5-spice powder
3tablespoonsShaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
5quarter slices freshunpeeled ginger, lightly smashed with the broad side of a knife
2whole scallionscut into 3-inch lengths and lightly smashed with the broad side of a knife
Starch coating: choose 1 to use cornstarch or water chestnut starch
Cornstarch coating option
4tablespooncornstarch
3tablespoonswater
1tablespoonslightregular soy sauce
Water chestnut starch coating option
¼tablespoonwater chestnut starch/flourpounded to a powder in a mortar and pestle
¼teaspoonground white pepper
3tablespoonswarm water
1tablespoondistilled white vinegar
To fry and serve the duck
Canola oilfor deep frying
12 to 16Chinese Steamed Buns
¼cuphoisin sauce diluted with ¼ cup water or duck steaming juices rendered during steaming
Instructions
Season and Marinate
Use your hand to remove the excess fat near the tail and discard. Then cut off the feet, tail, and neck (and thus the head). Then cut off the wing so that all that remains attached to the body is the duck drummette. Save these parts for soup stock.
Toast the salt, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cloves until fragrant and beginning to smoke. Let cool, then transfer to a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder. Add the Chinese 5-spice and process to a powder. You should have ¼ cup.
Rub about 1 ½ tablespoons of the seasonings on the inside of the duck. Then rub the remaining amount of the seasonings on the outside. Massage it into the duck, even in the armpits! Put in a pan, cover loosely with parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 days, turning the duck midway. If it’s winter and cool, let the duck marinate at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight, turning midway.
Steam and Dry
Remove the duck from the refrigerator, if necessary, and return it to room temperature. Prepare a large pot of water for steaming. Find a bowl to fit into the steamer tray; make sure there’s about a 1-inch space between the edge of the bowl and the steamer tray wall.
Drain any liquid that’s accumulated in the pan. Then rub the duck inside and out with the rice wine. Put 3 slices of the ginger and about ⅔ of the scallion inside the duck. Put the duck, breast side up, in the bowl you selected for steaming. Then put the remaining ginger and scallion atop the duck. Put the bowl inside the steamer tray.
Steam the duck for about 2 hours, until tender. You should be able to wiggle the leg easily. At the 1 hour mark, lower the heat and detach the steamer tray, setting it aside to cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile replenish the water in the pot, if you haven’t had to already. Carefully lift the bowl from the steamer tray and pour out the liquid into another bowl. This stuff is fabulously rich and there’s valuable duck fat. Do not discard it. Let it cool and refrigerate to separate the fat from the stock. Save it for other uses.
Put the bowl and duck back into the steamer tray and steam for another hour. There should be very little liquid that accumulates now. Once cooked and tender, let the duck cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Air Dry and Deep-Fry
Careful slide the duck out of the bowl onto a roasting or cake rack placed on a baking sheet. Let the duck dry to the touch, 2 to 3 hours; put a fan on the duck to speed up the process. You can leave it out up to 8 hours.
Fifteen minutes before you’re ready to fry the duck, cut it in half. Put the duck, breast side up, and use heavy knife or cleaver to bisect the duck. Remove the backbone, saving it for stock or discarding it.
Mix together the ingredients for the slurry of your choice to form a smooth mixture. Pour or spoon over each half of the duck – making sure to coat both the outside and inside. Use your fingers to rub it in. Replace the duck on the rack to dry out, about 10 minutes.
To fry the duck, have a skimmer and ladle ready, and a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towel. Pour 3 inches of oil into a wok or large deep skillet. Heat the oil to between 325 and 350F on an oil thermometer.
Meanwhile, simmer the diluted hoisin sauce in a small saucepan for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set at the table. Warm the steamed buns and have them ready for the tables.
When the oil is sufficiently hot, dip the skimmer into the oil to prevent sticking, then put one of the duck halves on the skimmer, skin side up. Carefully lower the duck into the oil, which will gush up with bubbles to surround the duck. Immediately ladle oil on top to evenly cook. Keep ladling on the oil and fry for about 2 minutes, then carefully turn the duck over (have a friend steady the wok, if necessary). Fry for 3 to 5 more minutes, until crispy and brown. Remove the duck from the oil and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the other duck half.
When both halves have been fried, the skin should still be crisp. If you want to refry to reheat or make the skin even crisper, raise the oil temperature to 375F. Refry the duck in the same manner for 20 to 30 seconds total. Drain on paper towel (use new ones if the old ones got too greasy). Blot any excess oil away.
To serve, cut up the duck with the bones intact, or cut the flesh and skin off the bones. Serve with the warm buns and hoisin sauce. Invite guests to make duck sandwiches by stuffing some duck and skin into the buns and slathering on a bit of hoisin sauce.
Notes
You can boil the leftover bones, carcass and skin bits for a light broth. Leftovers are terrific and you can reheat the duck in a toaster oven. Or make terrific fried rice or stir-fries with shredded duck meat and strips of skin.