Singapore Teochew Duck Recipes

SINGAPOREAN BRAISED DUCK

Steps:

• Trim the duck of any visible excess fat, especially from the tail area. Mix together the salt and five-spice powder, and season the duck all over, including inside the cavity, and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or overnight. Rinse the duck with fresh water inside and out.
• Place a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the sugar. After it liquefies, watch it carefully as it caramelizes to a medium brown, swirling the pot occasionally to help it color evenly. Add the star anise, garlic and ginger, and stir to coat in the caramel, and to keep the caramel cooking until it's a dark brown, but not burned. Stir in 1 cup of water to dissolve the caramel, then add the kecap manis.
• Add duck, breast side up, then add water to come up halfway, submerging the legs. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, just barely bubbling.
• Cook for 15 minutes, then carefully flip the duck so the breast side is down. Cook 15 minutes, then flip again. Taste the liquid, and add salt or more kecap manis to taste. Cook 15 minutes, then flip so the breast side is down again. Cook another 5 to 15 minutes, until the breast is cooked to your liking. Traditionally it should be cooked through, but Tan's spin is to remove the duck when the breast meat is 135 to 140 degrees, or medium. To use a traditional test, poke a chopstick in the thickest parts of the duck thigh and breast; if it goes through without too much resistance, it's done.
• Remove the duck to a platter or cutting board, and tent with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and eggs to the sauce, and simmer them gently for 10 minutes, until stained and hot. Skim the sauce of any floating fat if necessary, and serve it all with rice and chile sauce.

SINGAPORE TEOCHEW DUCK

Steps:

• For Chili Sauce: Blend all ingredients in a blender or m& p, season to taste with sugar and salt and add a little water to dilute if necessary.
• The taste will vary considerably depending on the chiles.
• I use sambal oelek instead.
• Combine sugar and 1 T water in small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil without stirring until medium caramel colour.
• Remove from heat and carefully add 1 cup water (mixture will spit).
• Stir over heat until smooth.
• Transfer mixture to heavy pan large enough to hold duck (roasting pan is good), as close as possible to a single layer, add 5-spice powder, garlic, galangal, sugar syrup, soy sauces, star anise and cinnamon.
• Add enough water to come about half way up the duck pieces.
• Bring to simmer and skim any scum that comes to the surface.
• Braise duck on low simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove duck from liquid and refrigerate.
• Defat the liquid (cooled overnight is best).
• Return sauce to heat and reduce until syrupy.
• Take all the skin off duck, reserve.
• (See note below).
• Take meat off the duck, chop into bite size pieces, add it to the reheated sauce, and serve the whole lot on a platter.
• Chili sauce is served alongside, with steamed rice.
• Notes: I salt the skin and broil them until crispy, chop them up and sprinkle over the platter with chopped green onions.
• Recipe works fine with breasts too.
• Leave the duck in the pot with the liquid while refrigerating overnight.
• Then defat.
• add duck meat to sauce while reducing (about halfway through).
• If you wait until syrupy, there is very little liquid left.