Bei Jing Kao Ya (Beijing Roast Duck)

Beijing Roasted Duck, also called Peking Duck, is a famous duck dish from Beijing, China that has been prepared since the imperial era, and is now considered one of China's national foods.

• Ready In: 7 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb)  duck
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  tablespoon  shaoxing wine or 1  tablespoon dry sherry
• 1  tablespoon warm water
• 8  green onions, white parts only, slivered into 3-inch lengths
• 1  medium English cucumber, peeled and slivered into 3-inch lengths
• 20  Mandarin pancakes (Moo-Shu Shells, frozen)
• 1⁄2 cup  chinese  sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Use a knife to scrape any rough patches off the duck's skin. Remove the innards if necessary, cut off the wing tips, and remove excess fat around the cavity opening. Rinse the duck and blanch in the boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Combine the honey, ginger, wine, and warm water in a small bowl. Liberally brush several coats of the honey mixture all over the duck. Place the duck upright in a refrigerator and let dry for 6 hours, uncovered -- or speed up this step by drying the duck with a hair dryer for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the duck breast-side up on a broiling pan and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the duck reaches 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Check on the duck while it cooks. The duck skin should turn a deep orange-brown color but if it starts to burn, cover it loosely with foil to stop it from burning.
4. Place the green onions and cucumber slivers on a serving plate. Warm the individual pancakes in a dry skillet over high heat for a few seconds and place them on a separate serving plate. Carve the duck with a sharp knife into thin strips and arrange the meat and skin on a platter. Now you are ready to make Chinese fajitas: Roll some of the duck meat and skin, green onions, cucumber, and a smear of Chinese sweet bean paste up in a Mandarin pancake, eat, and repeat.