Peking Duck

           Beijing cuisine is called the Jing Cai (Capital Cuisine).

In the past, residents from various regions in China came to the capital and opened many restaurants and eventually created new styles of cooking. At this moment I will discuss about a Chinese dish that is familiar to us, namely Peking duck.

          Peking duck is a luxury food, which is a favorite of members of the Ming Dynasty kingdom. Therefore, not everyone can eat Peking duck. When the capital of the Ming Dynasty moved from Nanjing to Beijing, the art of cooking duck was brought along.
This dish can then be eaten by common people in Bianyifang and Quanjude restaurants.


          Their history was long. Bianyifang had started operating since 1416, starting with a small restaurant and then transformed into one of the biggest restaurants in the world. His rival was Quanjude, who stood in 1864. On a scale, Quanjude was like Goliath. Every year they can sell 2 million portions of roast duck to more than 5 million consumers. One of the branches on Hepingmen Avenue, sells 5,000 dishes every day.


             Peking duck sometimes called Beijing duck in China has been presented in the Yuan Dynasty era more than a thousand years ago. Chinese restaurants first served them in the 15th century, including Quanjude Restaurant in Beijing which claimed to have served 200 million dishes of Peking duck 150 years ago. Roasted pekingese bread was specially made; using ducks that are bred in Beijing and baked with a unique process. The result is a perfect combination of color, aroma and taste.


               Peking duck has been around since 300 years ago, precisely from the Jingling imperial kitchen (also called Nanjing). China is one of the first countries to process ducks as dishes with steaming, boiling, frying, and so on.

           
            Historical records show that the baked peking duck was first made in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province.
At that time, Nanjing was the capital of the early Ming Dynasty. When the capital moved to Beijing, this dish was brought to Beijing as an imperial menu. In around 1630, a eunuch wrote a book about the imperial diet and stated that roast goose, pork, chicken and duck as the most preferred menu in the palace.


          At present, there are two techniques for baking peking duck. First use a conventional oven, where the fire is in direct contact with the duck. The first to do this technique was the Bianyifang restaurant in Chongwemen in 1816. Second, and better known as being developed in the kitchen of the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty was the Quanjude method. This is the most popular method among many peking duck restaurants now.

            Ideally, the Peking duck from the white variety is 65 days old when it is cut, and weighs 2.5 kilograms. Every six hours from the last 20 days of his life, this duck will only eat porridge that is very nutritious and thick. When the time is cut, the duck is cleaned with every part very carefully. Water is pumped between the skin and duck meat to give a crunchy texture when the duck is cooked.
 Before cooking, Peking duck is hung to dry overnight and covered with sweet syrup and spices before baking it in the oven. Presentation variations include an additional menu of duck skin, sauteed duck meat, or a bowl of duck broth.
 In Chinese cuisine, ducks symbolize loyalty. Therefore, many duck dishes are served at weddings. Of all types of duck dishes, which occupy the throne
top, none other than Peking duck.

The Ingredients of Peking Duck's:

Young duck meat, not old, hard meat
Lemongrass
Bathing seasoning:
Angkak
Coriander
1 tbsp go hiong seasoning
Ginger
Honey a lot Pepper

Sauce :
Bango sweet soy sauce
Red pepper is pureed
Little white sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Water is a little
Little salt

The Step :
Boil the duck meat with water and lemongrass, until the meat is tender, bole put the spoon in the water so that the meat is soft enough.
Drain, soak with honey, angkak, ginger, pepper, cilantro and go hong seasoning, then put it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, so that it will soak.
Bake duck meat in the oven, back and forth to cook
Make the sauce: saute the red chili with pure sesame oil, make Bango soy sauce, white sugar aza, water and salt.
Peking duck is ready to be serve


Besides the taste that spoils the tongue, duck meat also has a myriad of benefits. Here will be some benefits of duck meat for the body:

1. Maintaining muscle performance - Duck meat contains 3% sodium, according to the body's needs which serves to maintain the stability of muscle performance.

2. Maintaining physical and mental health - Duck meat contains copper minerals which function to maintain physical and mental health of the body
 3. Prevents anemia 
 Iron is usually obtained from the benefits of spinach, but the benefits of duck meat also contain iron. Iron is useful for meeting hemoglobin needs in the body and preventing anemia.