Crispy Aromatic Duck Bao

½ crispy aromatic duck (pre cooked or prepared duck)
Hoisin sauce, for serving
1 cucumber, finely matchsticked
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Vegetable oil

The Bao Dough

300g bao flour mix (plain flour with yeast, baking powder, sugar and vegetable fat)
160–180ml warm water

The Quick Pickle

1 cucumber, finely matchsticked
2 spring onions, sliced
2 tablespoons pickling salt (salt, sugar and vinegar mix)
3–4 tablespoons water

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the prepared crispy aromatic duck onto a tray and roast for 35–40 minutes until the skin is crisp and the meat is heated through.

COOKING

1. In a bowl combine the bao flour mix with warm water gradually, mixing until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead the dough by pushing and folding with the palm of your hand for 3–4 minutes until smooth.
3. Cover the dough and leave to rest for about 10 minutes until slightly airy.
4. While the dough rests, prepare the quick pickle by mixing cucumber and spring onion with pickling salt and water in a bowl. Stir well and leave to lightly pickle while the rest of the dish is prepared.
5. Roll the rested dough into a thick cylinder and divide into 6 equal portions.
6. Shape each piece into a smooth ball using a pinching and twisting motion.
7. Roll each dough ball into a thin oval around 3–4mm thick.
8. Brush a small amount of oil over the surface and fold the oval in half to form the classic bao shape.
9. Place the folded bao into a steamer basket leaving space between each bun.
10. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 8 minutes until fluffy and cooked through.
11. Remove the duck from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before shredding the meat with forks or fingers.
12. To assemble, open each steamed bao and fill with a generous amount of shredded duck.
13. Top with the pickled cucumber and spring onion.
14. Finish with a drizzle of hoisin sauce and serve immediately.

School of Wok Tips

• Resting the bao dough briefly helps relax the gluten so it rolls out more easily.
• Lightly oil the dough before folding so the bao opens cleanly after steaming.
• Leave space between bao in the steamer as they expand while cooking.
• Let the duck cool slightly before shredding to keep the skin crisp.

FAQs

Can I make crispy aromatic duck from scratch?
Yes. Traditional crispy duck is cured with salt and five spice, then steamed until tender before roasting to crisp the skin.

Can I use shop bought bao buns?
Yes. Store bought frozen bao buns work well if you want to save time.

Why pickle the cucumber and spring onion?
The light sweet and sour pickle cuts through the richness of the duck and balances the flavours.