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Sweet and sour duck with Egg Fried Rice

The Cantonese are known for their love of sweet and sour combinations, and this recipe comes from that region. It’s a home-style dish – easy, fruity and ready in minutes. From Chinese Food in Minutes, Ching he Huang. Serves 2

2 x 250g/9oz duck breasts
1 teaspoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons potato flour or cornflour
200ml/7fl oz groundnut oil, plus 1 tablespoon groundnut oil
2.5cm/1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 1cm/1/2 inch chunks
juice of 2 small oranges
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
sea salt and ground white pepper
a few fresh orange segments to garnish
egg-fried rice to serve

1. Remove the skin from the duck breasts and cut the duck into thin slices. Put the slices into a bowl with some salt, white pepper, the rice wine or sherry and the potato flour or cornflour and mix well.

2. Heat a wok over a high heat and add 200ml/7fl oz groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180ºC/375ºF or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Using a spider or slotted spoon, add the duck and shallow-fry for about 2 minutes until crispy on the outside.

3. Take the wok off the heat, remove the duck from the wok and drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Pour the oil from the wok through a sieve into a heatproof container and save to use later. Return 1 tablespoon oil to the wok and return the wok to a high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add the ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Return the duck to the wok, season with the orange juice, lime juice and soy sauce and toss well.

4. Garnish with orange segments and serve immediately with egg-fried rice.

Fried Rice

Serves 4

2 tablespoons groundnut oil
3 eggs, beaten
50g/2oz cooked baby shrimps
50g/2oz frozen peas
400g/14oz cooked jasmine rice (130g/generous 4oz raw rice)
1–2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1–2 pinches of ground white pepper

1. Heat a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Pour in the beaten eggs and leave to settle for 1–2 minutes, then swirl the liquid egg around the wok and, using a wooden spoon, stir to lightly scramble it. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the shrimps and frozen peas to the wok and stir-fry for less than 1 minute. Add the rice and mix well until the rice has broken down.

3. Return the scrambled eggs to the wok, season with soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper to taste and serve immediately.