CRISPY SKINNED DUCK RAMEN

Serves 4

2 (about 450g) large duck

breasts (see tip)

1 tsp Chinese five spice

1 tbsp char siu or hoisin sauce 185g (2 bundles) ramen noodles 1L chicken stock

2 cups water

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp red miso paste (see tip)

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted 1 clove garlic, crushed

100g snow pea sprouts

1 bunch baby pak choy, bases

trimmed, halved lengthways 1 medium carrot, shredded 4 soft boiled eggs, halved ¼ cup thinly sliced green

onions (shallots)

1. Sprinkle duck breasts with five spice. Brush char siu or hoisin over flesh side of breast. Heat a medium, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin-side down and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden. Turn over, cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, or until cooked through. Remove duck from pan. Drain fat from pan and wipe out pan with kitchen paper towel.

2. Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

3. Whisk stock, water, soy and miso in a large saucepan until combined. Place over medium-high heat until it comes to the boil.

Boil for 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil and sesame oil in same non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add snow pea sprouts and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, or until just wilted. Remove and set aside.

5. Return same pan to medium-high heat. Return duck, skin-side down, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until skin is crisp. Remove and rest for 2 minutes, then thinly slice.

6. Add pak choy to stock mixture and cook for 2 minutes, until tender. Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle over stock mixture with pak choy. Place carrot, duck, snow pea mixture and eggs on top. Sprinkle with onion and serve.

tips

• You can also use Luv-A-Duck Peking duck breasts as an alternative to fresh. If using Peking flavoured you will need to omit five spice and char siu sauce and heat according to directions.

• Red miso paste is available in Asian grocery stores or the Asian section of large supermarkets.

RIGHT, FROM BELOW LEFT: Cultiver napkin in Cedar, $50/set of 4, Elph Store. Batch oval serving bowl in Mushroom, $135, Shervin Verkil soup bowls, $239/set of 12, all Road Less Taken. Somekabuki chopsticks, $29.95/set, The Bay Tree. All other props, stylist’s own. Stockists, page 188

FRESH RAMEN NOODLES ARE MADE FROM WHEAT AND AN ALKALINE AGENT, WHICH GIVES THEM THEIR YELLOW HUE AND SPRINGY, CHEWY TEXTURE