Nanjing Salted Duck

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck, about 2kg
• 4 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 litres water
• 3 star anise
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 small piece cassia bark
• 1 tsp white peppercorns
• 5 slices ginger
• 3 spring onions, halved
• 120ml Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Before you cook

• Trim the excess fat from the duck's cavity and neck and pat the bird completely dry inside and out.
• Tie the star anise, cumin, bay leaves, cassia and white peppercorns into a square of muslin.
• Clear a shelf in the fridge where the duck can sit uncovered on a rack over a tray.

Steps

1. Put the sea salt and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat.
2. Toast them for six minutes, stirring constantly, until the salt turns faintly yellow and the pepper smells sharply of citrus.
3. Tip the mixture onto a plate and let it cool completely.
4. Rub the cooled salt all over the duck, pushing a good third of it deep into the cavity.
5. Sit the duck on the rack over its tray and refrigerate it uncovered for three hours.
6. Bring the water to the boil in a pot large enough to hold the duck, with the spice bag, ginger, spring onions and Shaoxing wine.
7. Lower the duck into the pot along with any salt and peppercorns still clinging to it.
8. Bring the pot back to the boil, then lift the duck out with tongs and tip the hot liquid out of its cavity.
9. Return the duck to the pot and bring it to the boil once more, so the cavity fills with fresh hot liquid.
10. Drop the heat until the water is at the faintest tremble, cover the pot and cook for fifteen minutes.
11. Turn off the heat and leave the duck in the covered pot for forty-five minutes.
12. Lift the duck out, brush it lightly with sesame oil and let it cool completely on a board.
13. Chop the duck through the bone into 3cm pieces and serve it at room temperature or cold.