CHINESE COOKING: Braised duck is very traditional in Chinese cooking. It is characterized by cooking the duck first, deboning it, then stewing it until tender with whatever the acccompaning ingredient is. Chestnuts, even though labour-intensive to cook, go well with stewed duck.

BRAISED DUCK WITH CHESTNUTS栗子炆鴨:



1 duckling, about 3 lbs. in weight

1 lb. chestnuts

cooking oil for deep-frying

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

2 cups water


duck-braising ingredients:

1 tbsp. each salt & rice wine
2 stalks green onion
1 small piece each fresh ginger, crushed & dried tangerine peel & star anise pod
1 tbsp. each dark soy sauce & oyster-flavoured sauce


seasoning:

½ tsp. sesame oil
dash of white pepper


1 tsp tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water



Rinse duck and pat dry. Rub duck skin with soy sauce, let stand 15 minutes; then repeat. Heat enough oil for deep-frying in wok or large non-stick pan over high heat until hot and tested ready. Deep-fry duck until skin is well-browned all over.

Place duck in a large saucepan. Add braising ingredients and enough water to cover; and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for1 hour. Remove duck from pot and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Let cool. Remove back bone from duck with a sharp knife and set it aside.

To cook chestnuts: Make a slit or an X on the flat side of each chestnut before cooking them in enough water to cover for 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and scoop out a few to work with while they are hot. Use a sharp knife to remove shells and skins. Repeat with the rest of the chestnuts. Cook peeled chestnuts in 2 cups water with 1 tsp. sugar until tender. If preferred, store-bought canned or packaged chestnut can be used to substitute.

Heat wok with 1 tbsp. oil until very hot and add in reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil; then add in seasoning ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste; then return duck and chestnuts. Simmer mixture together for 10 minutes.

Cool duck slightly; then cut duck into serving pieces and arrange into original duck shape on serving platter surrounding by the chestnuts. Add starch solution to cooking liquid to thicken; then pour sauce over duck to serve.