Ingredients
½ (~500g) Duck (washed and chopped into smaller pieces)
2 – 3 Sea Cucumbers from FairPrice (Already hydrated and cut into chunks. Add ½ tbsp dark soy sauce to coat the sea cucumbers.)
5 – 6 slices Ginger
5 – 6 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (soaked)
8 Garlic Cloves (skin on, smashed to release aroma)
MARINADE FOR DUCK
1 tsp Five-spice Powder
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine
1 tsp Sesame Oil
¼ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground White Pepper
SEASONING
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar
½ tsp Sesame Oil
About 150ml water from soaking mushrooms + 300ml Chicken Stock (you can use either homemade or store-bought chicken stock), and 50-100ml water (or enough water to cover the ingredients).
1 tsp Corn Flour with 1 tbsp Water (thickening mixture)
Method
- Place the rinsed and chopped half duck into a mixing bowl. Then, add in all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix well to coat the duck meat with the marinade. Cover and leave the duck to marinate and chill in fridge for a good 1 hour before cooking.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients. Heat a pot over the stove at medium-low fire. Add a tbsp of cooking oil follow by the smashed garlic and ginger slices. Cook till fragrant.
- Next, squeeze the water out from the mushrooms. Add in the mushroom and fry for a minute. Finally, add the marinated duck meat to the pot. Pan-fry the duck meat on all sides till browned.
- Add in the seasonings. Add in mushroom water, chicken stock and top up with water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the sea cucumbers. Toss and cook for a while, then bring to a boil. Lower the fire to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook for about 1–2 hours and check occasionally, making sure the dish doesn’t dry out. Use a pair of chopsticks to poke the duck meat to check if it is tender. The sea cucumbers should be soft and yet still thick jelly-like.
- Taste and adjust accordingly. Thicken the gravy with corn flour water. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice.
Recipe by Quek Seok Bin