Ingredients

• 1 x 2kg/2lb 4oz duck
• back bone removed
• flattened
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 spring onions
• sliced
• 2 red chillies
• finely chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 500g/1lb 2oz plums
• stones removed
• roughly chopped
• 125ml/5fl oz rice wine vinegar
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 225g/8oz strong white flour
• 175ml/6fl oz boiling water
• 4 spring onions
• finely shredded
• 2 red chillies
• seeded
• finely shredded

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 210C/410F/Gas 7.
• For the crispy duck
• place the duck
• skin side up
• onto a rack over a roasting tray and pierce the skin all over with a knife.
• Boil a kettle and pour the boiling water over the duck skin
• discarding the water. Pat the duck dry
• using kitchen paper
• then rub salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste
• over the skin.
• Transfer to the oven to roast for 1-1¼ hours
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Shred the duck into fine pieces using two forks.
• For the chilli plum sauce
• heat the olive oil in lidded pan and fry the spring onions and chillies for 1-2 minutes
• or until softened. Add the spices and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add the plums
• vinegar and sugar and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering
• cover with a lid and simmer for 5-6 minutes
• or until the plums are tender. Set the plums aside to cool
• Remove the cinnamon stick and blend the mixture to a purée in a food processor. Strain the purée through a sieve into a bowl. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Meanwhile
• for the pancakes
• place the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the boiling water and stir to form a dough. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 2-3 minutes
• or until the dough is smooth.
• Cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll each piece into a thin pancake.
• Heat a frying pan until hot and fry each pancake for 1-2 minutes on each side
• or until pale golden-brown. Keep the pancakes warm until ready to serve.
• To serve
• place the shredded duck onto a large serving plate and place spring onion and chillies alongside. Place the pancakes onto a separate serving plate and serve the plum sauce alongside.