Ped Ron Recipe

Prepare and marinate duck

Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine five-spice powder, salt and black pepper. Rub the spice mix all over and under the skin where possible. Place duck in a shallow dish.

In a separate bowl whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic and sliced ginger. Pour the marinade over the duck, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 4 hours (bring to room temp 30 minutes before cooking).

Braise the duck

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place duck skin-side down and brown for 5–7 minutes until skin is golden and fat begins to render. Turn and brown the other side for 2 minutes. Pour 250 ml water into the pan (or enough to come 0.5 cm up the sides), add any remaining marinade, bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Braise for 60–75 minutes until meat is tender and easily pulls from the bone.

Shred the meat

Remove duck from oven. Let cool slightly (10 minutes). Remove skin and bones; reserve rendered fat. Using two forks or your hands, shred the duck meat into bite-sized pieces. Keep some larger pieces for textural contrast. Toss the shredded meat with 1 tbsp of the reserved braising liquid to keep moist.

Heat neutral oil to about 180°C (356°F) in a deep skillet or wok for shallow-frying (oil should be 1–1.5 cm deep). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of bread — it should sizzle and brown in ~30 seconds.

Place shredded duck in a large bowl. Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the meat and toss gently to coat each piece lightly — shake off excess. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Fry coated shredded duck in the hot oil in small batches for 30–60 seconds, turning with tongs, until the coating is crisp and golden. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. Repeat until all meat is crispy. Reserve 1–2 tbsp of the crispy rendered duck fat/oil for serving, if desired.

Taste and season: if needed, lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt over the hot crispy duck.

If using store-bought pancakes, warm them according to package instructions (steam for 2–3 minutes or microwave covered for 20–30 seconds). If making quick thin flour pancakes: whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 cup warm water into a smooth batter; cook spoonfuls in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 1–1.5 minutes per side, keeping stacked pancakes covered to stay pliable.

Place hoi sin sauce in a small bowl for serving. Optionally stir 1 tsp of the reserved crispy duck fat into the sauce for extra aroma.

Prepare the vegetables: julienne cucumber, slice radishes thinly, and cut spring onions into long batons. Toss cucumber and radish lightly with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp rice vinegar if you like a touch of acidity.

Arrange components: place warm pancakes, a mound of crispy shredded duck, bowls of hoi sin sauce, and the salad garnishes on a large platter or individual plates. Provide lime wedges and cilantro for optional bright notes.

To serve: spoon some hoi sin onto a pancake, add a small handful of crispy shredded duck, a few cucumber matchsticks and a spring onion baton, add cilantro if using, squeeze lime if desired, then roll or fold and eat immediately.