Duck pancakes with hoi sin and cucumber

Serves 4-6 Starters and mains

Advertisement

Method

Dry-roast the salt and Sichuan peppercorns in a small frying pan for 1-2 minutes over a medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool then blitz in a spice grinder. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the duck breasts with the salt mix. Place them in a zip-lock bag and sit in a saucepan full of water to poach at 70C for 11⁄2 hours.

Lift the bag out of the water and allow to cool for 10 minutes before setting in iced water. To make the pancakes, place the flour in a bowl. Slowly add 345ml boiling water and mix with a wooden spoon in one direction. When it’s cool enough to handle, knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth.

Cover with a damp cloth or cling film and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll into cylinders. Cut each cylinder into 10 pieces then roll each piece into a ball and press into a flat disc. Brush the top of a disc with sesame oil and place another on top of the brushed surface.

Use a rolling pin to flatten the two discs into 12cm circles. Cook the pancakes a pair at a time in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat. When brown spots start to appear on the underside, flip over and cook until brown spots appear on the other side. Lift the pancake out of the pan and gently peel apart. Stack them on a plate and repeat with the rest of the dough. You should have about 30 pancakes.

Set the deep fryer to 170C. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scrape out the seeds then slice into 5cm batons. Cut the spring onions in half lengthways and place in a dish with the cucumber.

Remove the duck breasts from the bag and gently wipe off any congealed juices with kitchen paper. Cook in the deep fryer for 4 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen paper and allow to rest for 3 minutes. Set up the bamboo steamer. Fan out 12 pancakes in the steamer basket and steam for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

Slice each duck breast lengthways into 6 pieces and serve alongside the pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and pancake sauce.

To make 250ML of Pancake sauce you need :

- 200g hoi sin sauce
- 2tsp sesame oil
- 35ml palm sugar syrup (see recipe, below)

Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan with 11⁄2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer then take off the heat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To make 400ML of Palm sugar syrup :

Place 500g of palm sugar in a saucepan with 200ml water and simmer to dissolve. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.