Serves 4 to 6.

(Hong Shao Ya)

This is one of Shanghai’s most celebrated dishes, a slow-braised duck lacquered in a deep, glossy sauce of soy, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, and warm spices. The technique, known as hong shao or red braising, transforms the duck into something extraordinary: the skin becomes mahogany-dark and yielding, the meat falls from the bone in silky, deeply savory layers, and the sauce reduces to a rich, fragrant glaze with a subtle sweetness that is distinctly Shanghainese. Serve over steamed jasmine rice with braised bok choy or pickled cucumber on the side to balance the richness.

Ingredients

For the duck

• 1 whole duck, 4 to 5 lbs, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 4 cups water or unsalted chicken stock

For the braising sauce

• 1/2 cup Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup regular soy sauce
• 3 oz rock sugar (or 3 tablespoons brown sugar)
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 slices fresh ginger, about 1/4 inch thick
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 dried red chilies (optional, for gentle heat)
• 2 scallions, tied in a knot
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the whole duck for 3 to 4 minutes to remove impurities and tighten the skin. Remove, rinse under cold water, and pat thoroughly dry.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy braising pot over medium-high heat. Sear the duck on all sides until the skin is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove the duck and set aside. Pour off most of the rendered fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, star anise, cinnamon stick, and dried chilies to the pot. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add both soy sauces, the rock sugar, five-spice powder, and water or stock. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
6. Return the duck to the pot, breast side down. The liquid should come about halfway up the duck. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 1 hour.
7. Carefully flip the duck breast side up. Continue braising, covered, for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone.
8. Remove the duck and let it rest on a cutting board. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the braising liquid, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a glossy, sauce-like consistency, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
9. Carve the duck into serving pieces or halve it lengthwise. Arrange on a platter, spoon the reduced sauce generously over the top, and garnish with sliced scallions.

Tips and variations

• Dark soy sauce is essential here. It provides the deep mahogany color that defines this dish. Light soy sauce alone will not give you the same result.
• Rock sugar is traditional and gives a cleaner, more rounded sweetness than white sugar. Find it at any Asian grocery store.
• For a more intense flavor, marinate the blanched and dried duck in the soy sauces and Shaoxing wine for 2 to 4 hours before searing.
• Leftover braising liquid is liquid gold. Strain and freeze it as a master sauce base for future braises with pork belly, eggs, or tofu.
• If you prefer duck legs over a whole bird, use 4 to 6 legs and reduce the braising time to about 1 hour total.
• Serve alongside steamed jasmine rice, braised bok choy, or cold sesame noodles to round out the meal.

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