Beijing Roast duck is thought to be one of the most delicious
dishes all over the world; most visitors coming to
Beijing will
never forget to have a try.
There are two different schools of roasting duck. Some
restaurants make use of a close oven and straw as the fuel, which
won't make flames go directly onto the duck. Before being put into
the oven, a duck is filled with specially-made soup to make it
possible to roast the duck outside and boil it inside at the same
time.
Some restaurants use an oven without a door. After a kind of
dressing being spread all over a duck, it will be hooked up in the
oven over the flame coming directly from the burning of the
fruit-tree wood and it will be done in forty minutes.
When roasted and dried, the duck will look brilliantly dark red,
shining with oil and with crisp skin and tender meat. Because of
its appearance, few people could resist the temptation of it.
Now it's time to serve it! First, the chef will show you the
whole duck. Then, he will slice it into about one hundred and
twenty pieces with both skin and meat for each. Usually the duck is
served together with special pancakes, hollowed sesame bun, green
onions and sweet sauce. Dinners can wrap duck slices, onion, and
sauce in a pancake or a sesame bun with their bare hands. Sometimes
people would like to put in mashed garlic and cucumber or carrot
strips as well. Some young women like to dip slices into white
sugar directly. Other parts of the duck will be served as either
cold dishes with its livers, wings, stomach, webs and eggs, or hot
dishes with its heart, tongue and kidneys. The bones can even be
decocted together with Chinese watermelon and cabbage.
(Source: BOCOG)
