Tea-smoked duck breast

The secret to home-smoking in a wok is to wait until enough smoke appears then seal it in to flavour the meat, but not for too long or the tea mixture will burn and the smoke will be bitter.

You can use a small, round roasting rack to rest the duck on, or criss-cross chopsticks to keep the duck off the bottom. It is essential to line the wok well with foil or you will ruin it.

Ingredients

• 30ml (2 tbsp) Chinese rice wine or sherry
• 15ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce
• 5ml (1 tsp) sesame oil
• 5ml (1 tsp) finely grated fresh root ginger
• 2 large duck breasts, skin on
• 10ml (2 tsp) coarse salt
• 15ml (1 tbsp) Chinese five-spice powder
• 80ml ( cup) loose black tea leaves
• 80ml ( cup) rice
• 80ml ( cup) brown sugar
• 1 small (3cm) cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 5ml (1 tsp) vegetable oil
• 125ml ( cup) finely sliced mange tout, to serve
• 125ml ( cup) bean sprouts, to serve
• 2 spring onions, chopped, to serve
• Hoisin sauce, to serve

Method

Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and grated ginger and mix well. Rinse the duck breasts and pat dry. With a sharp knife, score the skin in a diamond pattern, cutting into the fat but not the meat. Rub the duck all over with salt and five-spice powder. Pour over the rice-wine mixture, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

Line the bottom of a wok with a large piece of heavy foil that hangs at least 15cm over the edges. Line the wok lid with a similar piece of foil.

Mix together the tea leaves, rice, sugar and cinnamon, and spread evenly over the bottom of the wok. Place a small roasting rack in the wok.

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the duck breasts skin side down for 2-3 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Place the duck breasts skin side up on the rack in the wok, making sure they aren't touching.

Heat wok, uncovered, over high heat for 5-10 minutes, or until wisps of smoke start to rise steadily. Reduce heat to medium, place the foil-lined lid on the wok and crimp all the overhanging foil together tightly to seal in the smoke (be careful as the foil will be hot). Cook for about5 minutes, then remove wok from heat and leave to stand, covered, for about 10 minutes (for medium-rare). Unwrap the foil (be careful of escaping smoke) and transfer duck to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with mange tout, bean sprouts, spring onions and individual bowls of hoisin sauce.

Serves 2