1 duck, about 2kg
1 tbs salt (to rub the duck for cleaning stage)
Ingredients for marinates:
1 ½ tsp five spice powder
½ tsb salt
½ tbs tiger brand dark soy sauce
Ingredients for braising liquid:
1 tbs cooking oil
2 star anise
20 cloves of peeled garlic
150g blue ginger, peeled and sliced thick
120g old ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
100g gula Melaka
1.2 litres of water
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
1 ¼ tbs honey
2½ tbs hua tiao Chinese cooking wine
3 ¼ tbs pearl river bridge mushroom flavoured superior dark soy sauce
2¼ tbs tiger brand dark soy sauce
3 tbs oyster sauce
½ tsp salt
Method:
1. Wash & clean & rub entire duck with salt and rinse thoroughly, repeat the step if the duck still smelly gamey. Drain and pat it dry
2. Rub the whole duck with five spice powder, salt & tiger brand dark soy sauce and set aside for at least ½ hrs
3. Add cooking oil to a large, hot wok on high heat, add star anise, garlic, blue & old ginger to fry, then add gula Melaka and continue to fry for about 2 mins, add water and stir. Finally add in the rest of ingredients for the braising liquid and stir well. Let it boil for a few more mins
4. Carefully lower the duck into the liquid, lower the heat to medium, constantly showering the liquid to whole duck and slightly stirring the duck to prevent it stick to the work
5. After 20 mins flip the duck and repeat the step no. 4 again. Flipping the duck every 15-20 mins to get both side cooks evenly and to prevent the burn on duck skin. The braising liquid should be bubbling briskly over a medium fire.
6. Add water if the liquid getting lesser and lesser (as it will get thicker) & a bit of salt to taste.
7. The duck is almost done when the wing meat and the feet start cracking. Use a chopstick to test on the breast and the leg part, if the chopstick can easily get through meaning the duck is almost ready.
8. Take out the duck when cooked, add in boiled egg and tao gua. After that all the gingers etc can take out left the sauce to serve.