1. Duck Soup
  2. Pancakes
  3. Peking Duck

The classic dish from Peking. It is customary in China to serve the soup, made from the duck carcass, at the end of the meal. the pancakes can also be bought readymade in Chinese supermarkets and heated over a steamer.

1. Duck Soup ()
    Materials:
    1 duck carcass
    1.2 litres (2 pints) cold water
    750 g (1 1/2 lb) Chinese cabbage, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
    1 cake bean curd, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) squares
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    1 tablespoon wine vinegar
    pinch of MSG
    Preparation time: 10 minutes
    Cooking time: about 50 minutes
1. Put the duck carcass into a pan with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove the carcass.

2. Add the Chinese cabbage, bean curd, soy sauce, vinegar and MSG and bring back to the boil. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve hot.
2. Pancake ()
    Materials:
    450 g (1 lb) plain flour
    250 ml (8 fl oz) boiling water
    85 ml (3 fl oz) cold water
    1 teaspoon sesame oil
    Preparation time: 20 minutes, including resting
    Cooking time: about 2 minutes
1. Add the boiling water to the flour and mix well. Add the cold water. Knead the dough thoroughly until it is smooth, then cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.

2. Working on a lightly floured board, divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll each into a long saugage shape, 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter. Cut or pinch into 2.5 cm (1 inch) lehgths (althougher about 40 pieces). Flatten each piece with the hand into a pancake shape, keeping cut sides top and bottom. Lightly brush the top surfaces with sesame oil. Stick the pancakes together in apirs, oiled sides inward, then roll out until about 13 cm (5 inches) in diameter.

3. Place a dry crepe pan or frying pan over medium heat. Cook each pancake on one side until bubbles rise (about 20 seconds), then turn and cook about 10 seconds more on the other side until light brown. Remove from the pan and separate the pancakes quickly, pulling the rounds apart very carefully.

4. Stack the separated pancakes in a pile, oiled sides uppermost, and cover with greaseproof paper. When all are prepared, fold each one into quarters. These pancakes can also be made in advance, stacked, covered in foil and refrigerated. When needed, warm in a steamer until hot, then fold into quarters.
3. Peking Duck ()
    Materials:
    1 duck, about 1.5-1.75 kg (3 1/2-4 lb)
    1/2 medium cucumber, cut into matchstick strips
    1/2 bunch spring onions, cut into shreds
    Sauce:
    2 tablespoons corn oil
    1 x 100 g (4 oz) can yellow bean paste
    3 tablespoons sugar
    Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus drying
    Cooking time: 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours
    Oven: 200 degree C (400 degree F) / Gas Mark 6
1. Wash the duck, dry on paper towels, and hang in a cool airly place (such as a larder or outhouse) to dry the skin for 3 hours or more (preferably overnight).

2. Place the duck on a wire tray over a raosting tin and put into the preheated oven on the middle shelf. Roast for 1 1/4 hours without opening the oven door or basting. At the end of this time, test if the duck is cooked by inserting a skewer in the juices run clear, the duck is ready.

3. Using a samll, sharp knife, carve off the skin in small pieces and arrange on a heated serving dish. Carve off the meat in the same way, and arrange separately.

4. Heat the corn oil in a small saucepan until smoking. Add the yellow bean paste and stir over the heat for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to stir over heat for a further 2 minutes. This sauce can be served warm or cold with the Peking duck.

5. Serve the duck skin and meat with the sauce, pancakes, and the shredded cucumber and spring onions. Each guest places a few peices of skin and meat on a pancake, adds some sauce, spring onion and cucumber shreds, and rolls up the pancake.


<>   Xiaoniu SuChu Hsu (¤p¤û) 1998    suchu@techart.nia.edu.tw