How to make Eight Treasure Duck

We Teochews love to eat duck. I know because when dad brought us out for lunch when we were young, we always had duck rice. My late granny made the best braised duck too. Funny though, I hardly eat duck these days maybe because it takes too much effort to prepare at home. Tonight I felt like treating my dad to duck, so I took the trouble to make this elaborate dish called Eight Treasure Duck.

I got a medium sized fresh duck from the supermarket. After cleaning thoroughly (remember to remove the stinky gland from the butt), I rubbed five spiced powder, salt and dark soy sauce inside the cavity and all over the skin.

For the stuffing, I used dried shitake mushrooms, chestnut, barley, dried oyster and shrimps, ginkgo nut, red dates and wolfberries. You can vary the ingredients if you like.

The stuffing must be stir-fried to bring out the flavour. Add a teaspoon oil in a pan. Brown some sliced shallots and the dried shrimps until fragrant, then add everything else and fry for about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and soy sauce. Leave aside to cool.

Stuff everything into the cavity of the duck and seal up the hole using string or toothpicks. Then put the duck into a preheated oven and grill the duck on high heat until the skin is crispy and brown. Turn and do the same on the other side.

After that, remove from oven and steam in a wok for 3 hours. The meat will be so tender and the stuffing so delicious, you wish you could eat it everyday.

This is what it looks like after an hour of steaming. I had to top up water in the wok every now and then.

After grilling the duck in the oven, I ended up with a bowl of oil. This is good stuff. I've seen most of the stores in France selling this. I kept it in the fridge knowing it will come in useful one day.

Try making your own Eight Treasure Duck and let me know how it turns out.