Peking Duck - The Lacquered Star Of China

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Duck Peking style - Here is another one of the stars in the world culinary atlas. It is synonymous not only with Chinese national cuisine, but also with Eastern culture in general. The famous specialty has existed for thousands of years, and today is recognized as one of the top culinary achievements.

It can most often be consumed in Chinese restaurants around the world or bought ready-made by Chinese traders - invariably dipped in a thick sticky sauce, with an inimitable taste of glutamate, both salted and sweetened, accompanied by white rice.

Peking duck has been known in China since the 14th century and was duly valued first by the imperial court. In fact, the delicious dish was created for the then ruling Ming dynasty, and Nankin is considered his birthplace. Three centuries later, duck became a favorite dish of another dynasty - Kin, who lived and ruled from Beijing.

Her cooks have changed the way the dish is prepared, and instead of in the traditional closed oven, the duck is already cooked hanging over the flames. At that time, the specialty was served in three stages - first with crispy skin, then in thin slices of melting meat and finally - the bones, flying with broth, giving sophistication to the dish.

In 1864, the Quanjude restaurant in Beijing, which has dedicated its cuisine entirely to this dish, popularized it for everyone. There are many ways to make duck in southern China, but they are all close to the classic roast duck. In Beijing, however, it is different - that's where the lacquered duck has gained its fame.

Cooking any Chinese food seems difficult and subject to many subtleties, and with the more Chinese duck, things seem even more complicated. Grown up to about 3 kilograms, it must be handled very carefully. This involves first peeling the skin slightly from the meat - this is done so that it can become crispier during roasting - then it is scalded, dried and covered with a layer of a special syrup made on the basis of honey before being baked.. It is at this point that the "elbow" is formed, which gives the name of the duck, which in many areas, except Duck Peking style is also called lacquered duck. At that moment, its specific copper color, its shiny appearance and its unique taste, coming from the floor trees with which the oven is lit, are obtained.

Everything then comes down to maintenance and especially to cutting. Just as Japan has its sushi masters, so China has its Beijing duck specialists. An experienced chef is able to cut a lacquered duck into a hundred thin slices. In the Chinese tradition, crispy and fragrant skin is the first concern for cooks.

The duck is eaten wrapped in thin wheat cakes with onions, cucumber and brown plum sauce and black soy.