Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Cantonese Plum Sauce Braised Duck
梅子炆鴨
Recipe overview
Duck pieces are browned, then slowly braised with salted plums, ginger and ground bean sauce into a tart, savoury gravy.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1.6 kg duck
- 6 pieces salted plums
- 50 g ginger
- 80 g shallots
Duck blanching
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Plum braising sauce
- 2 tbsp ground bean sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 25 g rock sugar
- 800 ml water
Duck-searing oil
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
02
Tools
- cutting board
- knife
- large bowl
- heavy pot
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
03
Steps
Step 1
Chop duck into large pieces and trim excess fat
Chop duck into large pieces and trim excess fat.
Step 2
Start duck in cold water with Shaoxing wine and boil
Start duck in cold water with Shaoxing wine and boil.
Step 3
Blanch three minutes, rinse and pat dry
Blanch three minutes, rinse and pat dry.
Step 4
Slice ginger thickly and bruise shallots
Slice ginger thickly and bruise shallots.
Step 5
Sear duck skin-side down to render fat
Sear duck skin-side down to render fat.
Step 6
Brown all sides and remove the duck
Brown all sides and remove the duck.
Step 7
Fry ginger and shallots in the rendered duck fat
Fry ginger and shallots in the rendered duck fat.
Step 8
Fry ground bean sauce for one minute
Fry ground bean sauce for one minute.
Step 9
Return duck and add plums, soy, sugar and water
Return duck and add plums, soy, sugar and water.
Step 10
Bring to a boil, cover and braise gently for fifty minutes
Bring to a boil, cover and braise gently for fifty minutes.
Step 11
When tender, mash two plums into the gravy
When tender, mash two plums into the gravy.
Step 12
Uncover, reduce until thick, taste and serve
Uncover, reduce until thick, taste and serve.
Common mistakes
- Salted plums and bean sauce are already salty; adding salt before tasting can ruin the gravy.
Tips
Rendering the duck skin first reduces greasiness and deepens the gravy.
