Peking duck

Peking duck is a famous dish that comes from Beijing. People have enjoyed this special food since the time of emperors and empresses.

What makes Peking duck special is its very thin, crispy skin. In the traditional way of making this dish, most of the food is just the skin, with only a little bit of meat. The cook cuts the meat and skin right in front of the diners.

The ducks used for Peking duck are raised just for this dish. After 65 days, they are ready. They are seasoned with special flavors before being cooked in a special closed or hanging oven. When it’s time to eat, the duck is often put on top of soft pancakes. People also add spring onions, cucumber, and a sweet bean sauce, and then roll up the pancakes with all these tasty fillings inside.

Aromatic duck is a dish that is similar to Peking duck, and it is enjoyed in places like the United Kingdom and Ireland. While it comes from China, this delicious food has become popular all over the world.

History

Ducks have been roasted in China since very old times. A special roast duck was made for the emperor during the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. By the Ming dynasty, Peking duck became a popular dish in the imperial court. The first restaurant specializing in Peking duck, Bianyifang, opened in Beijing in 1416 near Qianmen.

In 1864, the restaurant Quanjude was started, and it used a new way to roast ducks with a hung oven. By the middle of the 20th century, Peking duck became a symbol of China, enjoyed by visitors, diplomats, and leaders from many countries. Today, both Quanjude and Bianyifang are still famous for their special ways of making this tasty dish.

Preparation

Peking duck comes from Beijing and is famous for its thin, crispy skin. The ducks used for this dish are raised in a free-range area.

There are two main ways to cook Peking duck. In one way, the duck is roasted slowly in an oven made of brick. In the other way, the duck is hung above an open fire and roasted quickly. Both ways make the skin very crispy and give the dish its special taste.

Serving

Peking duck is cut in front of guests and served in three steps. First, slices of duck skin are served with sugar and sweet bean sauce to dip. Then, the meat is served with steamed pancakes (simplified Chinese: 春饼; traditional Chinese: 春餅; pinyin: chūn bǐng), cucumber, and spring onion. People usually wrap the duck slices into the pancake with cucumber and other ingredients.

The duck can be cooked in a broth with vegetables like Chinese cabbage, or it can be stir-fried in sweet bean sauce, or quickly sautéed with salt and pepper. Some people also take the duck home to eat later.

Crispy aromatic duck

Crispy aromatic duck is a dish similar to Peking duck. It is popular in the United Kingdom, where it was created in the latter half of the twentieth century.

The duck is first mixed with spices, then steamed until soft, and finally fried until crispy. In Germany, some Asian fusion restaurants also serve crispy aromatic duck, sometimes called Peking duck. The best way to enjoy it is to have the roasted duck cut into slices, with the skin and meat separated. Diners often wrap the duck meat in pancakes with sweet bean sauce, green onions, cucumber strips, and other ingredients.