黄道大鸭 Huangdao Big Duck

[Ho Kwok Leung]

黄道大鸭
客家菜传统名菜，四季皆宜。

食材
光鸭1只（约1000克），
去壳鸡蛋125克，
姜片25克，
葱条10克，
精盐10克，
味精10克，
八角2粒，
白糖2.5克，
绍酒25克，
干淀粉130克，
湿淀粉10克，
植物油2000克（耗160克）。

烹饪方法
1.
光鸭由背剖开，去内脏、尾膻，斩去鸭脚洗净，把鸭放入沸水锅滚（氽）约半分钟取出，用清水淋一下，再放进用竹算子垫底的沙锅内，下姜、葱、八角、绍酒、精盐、白糖和沸水约1500克(要浸过鸭面)，加盖用慢火煲约2小时至软烂，取出，去掉鸭骨，撕下原张鸭皮（连头、翼），将肉撕成粗条。把原汁煲浓至150—200克留用。
2.
取大碟一只，撒上干淀粉10克，把鸭皮摊在碟上再撒干淀粉10克；鸭肉先用鸡蛋液，后用干淀粉100克拌匀，排在鸭皮上，再撒上干淀粉10克，然后用手压一下。
3.
中火烧热炒锅，下油烧至微沸，放入鸭，约炸5分钟后，端离火口浸炸约2分钟至金黄色，用笊篱捞起沥去油。将鸭切成3条，每条再切成8段，放在碟上砌成鸭的原状。
4.余油倒出，炒锅放回炉上，下原鸭汁，加味精烧至微沸，用湿淀粉勾芡，盛入碟中作佐料，与酥鸭一道上席。

特点
肉软烂，外酥脆，佐以原汁，鲜味更浓。

**Huangdao Big Duck**
A traditional Hakka delicacy, enjoyed year-round.

**Ingredients**
- 1 whole duck (about 1000g), cleaned
- 125g shelled eggs
- 25g ginger slices
- 10g scallion sections
- 10g salt
- 10g MSG (optional)
- 2 star anise pods
- 2.5g sugar
- 25g Shaoxing wine
- 130g dry starch
- 10g wet starch slurry
- 2000g vegetable oil (approx. 160g consumed)

**Cooking Method**
1. **Prepare the duck**:
- Split the duck from the back, remove innards and tail fat, chop off the feet, and rinse thoroughly.
- Blanch the duck in boiling water for 30 seconds, then rinse with cold water.
- Place the duck in a clay pot lined with bamboo skewers. Add ginger, scallions, star anise, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, and 1500g boiling water (enough to submerge the duck). Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours until tender.
- Remove the duck, discard bones, carefully peel off the intact skin (with head and wings attached), and shred the meat into thick strips. Reduce the cooking liquid to 150–200g and set aside.

2. **Assemble the duck**:
- Sprinkle 10g dry starch on a large plate. Lay the duck skin on the plate and sprinkle another 10g dry starch over it.
- Coat the shredded duck meat with beaten egg, then mix with 100g dry starch. Arrange the meat over the skin, sprinkle with remaining 10g dry starch, and press firmly to adhere.

3. **Fry the duck**:
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat until shimmering. Gently lower the duck into the oil and fry for 5 minutes. Remove from heat but let it soak in the oil for 2 more minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on a rack.
- Cut the duck into 3 strips, then slice each strip into 8 pieces. Reassemble on a serving plate to mimic the duck’s original shape.

4. **Prepare the sauce**:
- Drain excess oil from the wok. Return to heat, add the reduced cooking liquid and MSG (if using), and bring to a gentle simmer. Thicken with wet starch slurry. Serve the sauce alongside the crispy duck.

**Features**
Tender meat with a crispy exterior, served with the reduced original sauce for enhanced umami.