The chinese way
Chung Nang Chau has been a cook for 25 years. Among the Chinese community he's considered to be the best chef in the West Midlands. Through the 1980s, he managed the kitchens at Birmingham's 350-seat China Court restaurant, before opening the Taipan with his long-time friend Henry Looi (pictured left).
At the Wing Yip restaurant in Birmingham's College of Food, Chung showed Chef the tricks and secrets of Peking duck.
He maintains that Peking duck isn't difficult to cook; it just requires patience. "If you haven't got that, you'll never be a good cook," he says.
Unlike many Chinese dishes, this recipe is a relative newcomer. A poultry seller called Yang opened a restaurant called Quanjude (the essence of virtue) in Peking back in 1864. His cooks came from Shandong, and it was their roasting techniques which, when married with his flavoursome ducks, brought about this unique speciality.
Myths have been built up around Peking duck, but the notion that high-class Chinese only eat the skin is not true. They like the breast meat and they eat it very faintly pink.
Domestic recipes for this dish usually recommend basting the duck with honey. In fact, the rice malt that professional chefs prefer gives a better glaze. Looi says Chinese children spread it on biscuits for a treat.
Chung uses monosodium glutamate (MSG) seasoning in the spice mix. For several years, nutritionists argued this seasoning was responsible for "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome", an allergic reaction to MSG that causes sweating and palpitations. This charge has recently been disproved by scientists. Although this flavour-enhancer can beabused, it does help to give the duck its aromatic flavour.
Taipan, 2A Wrottesley Street, Birmingham. Tel: 021-622 3883
Characteristics of a good peking duck
The skin should be an even, rich mahogany, not reddish like lacquered pork
It shouldn't be wrinkled, a sign that it has been either overcooked or has started to dry out
The flesh must be faintly pink and succulent
Special equipment
Large wok
10cm stainless steel skewer
Duck hanging hooks - three-pronged and linked by a ring, two for fastening under the wings and one for hanging up the duck. They are available from Wing Yip supermarkets.
Large ladle
Electric fan for drying, although any cool, well-ventilated place will do
Duck ovens - originally charcoal-fired, most now work by gas. Any cabinet-type oven will do, providing it is deep enough, top to bottom, to hang the birds from their hooks. A convection oven would probably give the best result. (Here, Chung used a Falcon Convectasteam 10 because the college's own duck oven was being modified.)
Very sharp carving knife.
