Peking duck is a centuries-old favourite – how do Hong Kong’s top chefs make theirs?
Peking duck was a hit in China’s imperial courts and is just as popular now. Hong Kong chefs share their thoughts on the classic roast dish
Marinated in a rich blend of Sichuan spices and roasted until the skin transforms into a crackling golden armour, the flaming Peking duck at Hutong restaurant in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood is a feast for the senses.
Paired with standard companions such as pancakes, hoisin sauce and cucumber, the duck also comes with a side dish of drama: it is flambéed and carved at the table with a pianya dao – a traditional knife with a long, thin, rectangular blade designed to slice duck meat into precise portions.
While precise air-drying and roasting are key steps to achieving the crispy skin, finishing the cooking with fire gives it extra snap, says Hutong’s barbecue head chef, Ho Wing-cheong. The crunch factor is crucial.
Thin crispy skin is a vital element of Peking duck, with some arguing it is more important than the meat. As one of China’s most important national dishes, it comes wrapped in tradition.