Sai wo duck

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 medium Duckling, dressed
Soy sauce; for duckling
2 Stalks celery
1 Whole green onion
4 Thin slices ginger root
5 Chinese black mushrooms, presoaked
2 Pieces dried mandarin orange peel(size of a half-dollar) presoaked
5 Thinly sliced pieces bamboo shoots
10 Star anise seeds
1¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Sugar
1 dash Pepper
1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
Chinese parsley
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Loose lettuce leaves

Directions

GARNISH

This dish will require a good deal of time to prepare but will turn out well.

Rub soy sauce over duckling. Boil enough oil to cover the bird in large deep-fry pan. Add duck, fry until entire bird is well-browned.

Remove, drain on absorbent toweling. Use sharp cleaver to slash duck from breast to lower belly. Don't cut through bone. Place duck in pan, stuff cavity with celery, onion, ginger root, black mushrooms, orange peel, bamboo shoots, anise, 1 tsp. salt, sugar, pepper, & MSG.

Distribute evenly. Place on platter, elevate in a steamer. Cover, steam for 2-½ hrs. Make sure water is replenished as it evaporates.

Remove platter, allow duck to cool. Discard all ingredients except bamboo shoots & mushrooms. Save all juices for gravy. Carefully remove wings & legs. Gently separate flesh from carcass with hands, starting from slash & keeping skin intact.

Be sure not to make any more holes in skin, & to keep bird in its natural shape.(Carcass will make good soup.) Spread duck, meat side up, on a deep platter. De-bone the legs, place w/ wings. Spread mushrooms & bamboo shoots on duck meat. Replace in steaming utensil & steam again 20 minutes. Remove. Line large serving platter with lettuce leaves. Turn platter with duck upside-down so that duck rests on leaves, skin side up. Pour cooking juices into saucepan. There should be 2 cups liquid. Bring to boil, on high heat. Add cornstarch, 1 tbs. soy sauce, ¼ tsp. salt. Stir continuously until gravy thickens. Pour gravy over whole duck. Garnish with Chinese parsley & serve immediately.

Chopsticks are recommended.

Temperature(s): HOT Effort: DIFFICULT Time: 04:00 Source: KAN'S Comments: GRAND ST., SAN FRANCISCO Comments: WINE:WAN FU WHITE WINE Submitted By MICHELLE HOWE On 07-18-95

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