Peking Duck with Mandarin Pancakes
2½ cups plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
1 cup boiling water
3 tbs sesame oil
FOR THE MANDARIN PANCAKES:
Some technique needed for these.
mandarin pancakes from above
2 supermarket chinese roast duck fillets
2-3 lebanese cucumbers
6 spring onions
½ cup hoisin sauce
½ cup char sui sauce
PEKING DUCK ASSEMBLY:
“THESE PANCAKES CAN BE USED FOR MANY DISHES INCLUDING INDIAN, MIDDLE EASTERN AND MEXICAN”
Place flour and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. Pour over boiling water a little at a time, stirring through thoroughly. Leave until it cools slightly.
As soon as you are able (due to the heat), mix and knead with hands until a smooth dough consistency is reached. When lukewarm, fully knead and then let it stand for about 30 minutes covered with cling wrap.
Take two level tablespoons of the dough and roll each one into a ball on a floured surface. Roll them out into circles of approximately 8cm in diameter. Brush one of the circles with sesame oil, and place the other one on top of it. Then re-roll to make a pancake of approximately 15cm in diameter.
Repeat with the remaining dough and oil until you have around 10-12 double pancakes.
Heat a fully non-stick fry pan without any oil whatsoever (must be totally dry). Cook the pancakes one at a time. When small bubbles appear on the surface, turn over and cook the other side, lightly pressing the surface with a clean tea towel.
“LOVELY DISH LIKE THIS, BUT EVEN BETTER IF YOU CAN FIND TRADITIONAL CHINESE ROAST DUCK HANGING IN A WINDOW”
The pancake should be just lightly brown when done.
Remove to a plate. When cool enough to handle, peel the two pancakes apart. Stack them on a plate and cover with a tea towel as you go to stop them drying out.
These can be made up to two hours before needing them for the Peking Duck or other recipes.
Makes about 20 pancakes.
Mix hoisin and char sui sauces together, cover, and put aside.
Peel the cucumber, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into thin strips, cover in a bowl and refrigerate.
Cut spring onions into lengths of about 3cm using both the green and white parts. Then run a knife lengthways down the section of onion to get thin strips. Cover and refrigerate.
Pre heat oven to 200 degrees. Place duck on a wire rack in a baking dish, and bake duck for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully cut off the skin. Return skin to the oven to crisp up for about 15 minutes.
Slice the duck meat and skin into thin strips about 3cm long, cover separately and keep warm.
CAN ALSO BE MADE WITH CHINESE ROAST PORK. MAKE SURE THAT EACH SLICE HAS SOME OF THE OUTSIDE COATING ON IT.
WHILE THIS IS THE 'EASY' VERSION, IF YOU DO HAVE ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE ROAST DUCK IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Lay out one of the mandarin pancakes. Combine a small amount of the meat with some of the skin, a few lengths of both cucumber and spring onion in the top half of the pancake.
Drizzle with some of the sauce, and fold the bottom up, and the sides in to form a parcel that is open at the top.
Make and plate up two for each guest, then give each plate 20 seconds in microwave just prior to serving.
Serve the rest of the ingredients in separate bowls with the remaining pancakes, so that guests can make their own.
Pancakes can be warmed up and served in bamboo steamer lined with baking paper.
Should yield four each for four people (although 3 would do for entree).
With the pancakes done it's a very easy dish.