ORIENT EXPRESS
With a bit of prep, you can rustle up these Far Eastern dishes in no time, perfect for Chinese New Year tomorrow
DUCK PANCAKES
Prep time overnight Cooking time 2 hours Serves 6-8
1 duck, rinsed well FOR THE SAUCE, MIX: ½ cup apple cider vinegar 1 orange, juiced and zested 2 star anise 5 whole black peppercorns 1 tbsp honey 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp thick soy sauce 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce FOR THE PANCAKES: 100g plain flour 1 tbsp cornflour 1 cup milk 1 egg, beaten 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp butter 10g fresh coriander leaves TO SERVE: ½ cup plum sauce 2 spring onions, julienned 1 cucumber, julienned
Heat a large pot of water until boiling, submerge the duck in the water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the duck, drain and pat dry with a paper towel, place on a rack and allow to dry completely. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tray and brush with all of the sauce. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Roast the duck for 1½ hours. Remove, allow to cool and then slice into strips. Keep warm. To prepare the pancakes, sift the flour, cornflour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. In a jug, combine milk, egg, sesame oil and butter. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the milk mixture. Whisk to combine. Add coriander. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, ladle ¼ cup batter in, swirl the pan to coat evenly and let it cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Repeat with remaining batter. To serve, brush pancakes with plum sauce, then top with spring onions, cucumber and sliced duck. Roll up and serve.
STIR-FRIED CHICKEN
Prep time 20 mins Cooking time 20 mins Serves 4
300g noodles 400g chicken, cut in strips ⅓ cup (100ml) sesame seeds 1 tbsp cooking oil 1 red chilli pepper, seeded 1 small cabbage, chopped 1 sweet pepper, cut into strips 1 large carrot, grated 150ml light soy sauce 1 lime, juiced and zested
Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Rinse in cold water; set aside. Season the chicken, roll in sesame and swiftly seal in oil with the chilli until golden brown. Drain and set aside. Stir-fry the vegetables in the same pan over high heat until just cooked but still crisp. Return the chicken to the pan and add the soy sauce, lime zest and juice as well as the cooked noodles. Stir until everything is warmed through and serve.