Singaporean Braised Duck

Name: Singaporean Braised Duck
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 5-pound duck, whole; 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder; 8 teaspoons sugar; 4 pods star anise; 15 cloves garlic, lightly smashed; 4 inches galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins; 1 cup kecap manis (see note); 14 ounces packaged fried tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces; 6 hard-boiled eggs; Steamed rice, for serving; Auntie Khar Imm’s Chile Sauce (see recipe)

Recipe from Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

Adapted by Francis Lam

Singaporean Braised Duck — Davide Luciano for The New York Times. Food stylist: Michelle Gatton. Prop stylist: Alex Brannian.

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus marinating time
Rating: 4(119)
Notes: Read community notes

The Singaporean flavors of star anise, galangal and molasses-like soy sauce are a natural with duck — they may seem unfamiliar for some, but they parallel the idea of pairing fruits or warm winter spices with the bird. Reflecting her modern sensibility, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan took this recipe from her grandmother and tweaked it to serve the duck at a slightly pink medium rather than fully cooked. Of course, you may cook it through if you prefer. —Francis Lam

Featured in: A Twist on Grandmother’s Singaporean Braised Duck

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

15-pound duck, whole
2tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
8teaspoons sugar
4pods star anise
15cloves garlic, lightly smashed
4inches galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch coins
1cup kecap manis (see note)
14ounces packaged fried tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces
6hard-boiled eggs
Steamed rice, for serving
Auntie Khar Imm’s Chile Sauce (see recipe)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Trim the duck of any visible excess fat, especially from the tail area. Mix together the salt and five-spice powder, and season the duck all over, including inside the cavity, and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or overnight. Rinse the duck with fresh water inside and out.
Step 2
Place a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the sugar. After it liquefies, watch it carefully as it caramelizes to a medium brown, swirling the pot occasionally to help it color evenly. Add the star anise, garlic and ginger, and stir to coat in the caramel, and to keep the caramel cooking until it’s a dark brown, but not burned. Stir in 1 cup of water to dissolve the caramel, then add the kecap manis.
Step 3
Add duck, breast side up, then add water to come up halfway, submerging the legs. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, just barely bubbling.
Step 4
Cook for 15 minutes, then carefully flip the duck so the breast side is down. Cook 15 minutes, then flip again. Taste the liquid, and add salt or more kecap manis to taste. Cook 15 minutes, then flip so the breast side is down again. Cook another 5 to 15 minutes, until the breast is cooked to your liking. Traditionally it should be cooked through, but Tan’s spin is to remove the duck when the breast meat is 135 to 140 degrees, or medium. To use a traditional test, poke a chopstick in the thickest parts of the duck thigh and breast; if it goes through without too much resistance, it’s done.
Step 5
Remove the duck to a platter or cutting board, and tent with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and eggs to the sauce, and simmer them gently for 10 minutes, until stained and hot. Skim the sauce of any floating fat if necessary, and serve it all with rice and chile sauce.

Tip

Kecap manis is a thick, sweetened Indonesian soy sauce commonly found in Asian markets.

Ratings

4 out of 5

119 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Dr. K6 years ago

Lived in Singapore for many years and saw variations of this dish with birds so glad to see a recipe. Used chicken and with some changes. Added lemongrass & a couple of cloves to give more woodsy tones. Also quartered the chicken for easier searing and would probably take the skin off next time because I don't think it adds anything. Also might be helpful to add a little neutral oil for cooking ginger & galangal. Note GF folks: "Bango" Kecap Manis is a suitable brand you

Caroline6 years ago

You can ,ale your own with soy sauce and brown sugar - just google it! I know there's a recipe at fussfreecooking.com

Xinyu6 years ago

Yes. They actually taste best soaked in the braising liquid overnight, in my opinion, so the flavour permeates most of the whites. When you cut it in half the whites should be a light brown.

Delee6 years ago

Did you try your local Hannaford? They usually have an "Asian" aisle, andcan order it for their next delivery. Or, next time you're out of town, find a Wal-Mart. There's another Hannaford in Keene, NH which isn't very far. I'll assume ducks are readily available at least part of the year. A bottle of keycap manis lasts a fair amount of time - it tastes something like soy sauce and molasses, so (like toasted sesame oil) a little generally goes a long way.

Leslie6 years ago

I live in Montana where there is not much of an Asian population and order most Asian spices & condiments, like keycap manis, through Amazon. Same for hard-to-find top quality Italian and French items and cheeses.

Mary6 years ago

Great recipe, even better if cooked in advance & duck is allowed to cool in liquid & reheated. I removed the breasts and cooked legs/thighs longer.

Kristen1 year ago

After I removed the duck I used a fat separator/ strainer to get rid of the fat, (i saved it because all duck fat is precious…), put sauce back in pot and added eggs and tofu.

Jen2 years ago

Made this last night with few variations (couple extra spices and quartered the bird for ease of flipping so much). It was fabulous! No complaints but I was wondering if anyone has done anything to crisp up the skin?

D.D. Chicago2 years ago

Made this with Cornish Hens for a fancy Sunday Lunch. Was a BIG hit. Served with rice and baby boc choy, and Chinese mushrooms.

john3 years ago

I’m cooking this, and my only question is, when first putting the duck into the pot, the breast is up. So the legs are up as well. But it says add liquid until half way up AND the legs are submerged. So the whole thing is pretty much submerged? I’m going with half way up the legs, so I don’t end up diluting things too much

leebrownIU.comcast.net3 years ago

Finally, a chance to use some of the huge amounts of kecap manis I have in my pantry!

Gérald3 years ago

so good

Elizabeth6 years ago

1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup and 1/8 cup palm or brown sugar are the equivalents to make on own. Just increase to get one cup.

Darlene6 years ago

If you can't find kicap manis (dark sweetened soya sauce), just use regular light soya sauce and add sugar. The dark color will come naturally with the caramelization of the sauce and the sugar. In fact, I prefer not using the kicap manis because some brands tend to be clawingly sweet and that spoils the flavor of the duck.

Mary6 years ago

Great recipe, even better if cooked in advance & duck is allowed to cool in liquid & reheated. I removed the breasts and cooked legs/thighs longer.

Lawrence6 years ago

Someone suggested removing the skin before cooking. My mother, the accomplished chicken soup cook, always says that the skin adds a lot of flavour - quite aside from any fat which can easily be removed.

Dr. K6 years ago

Wordsworth from Wadsworth6 years ago

I prefer not to make my own sweet chili sauce. Anyone have suggestions for a bottled sauce available at a good Asian market?

I will say that once you have the ingredients together, this looks like a not-so-difficult recipe - and very sapid.

Leslie6 years ago

Frances Lam: Any chance Nicholas Tang would share the Singaporean curry recipe you mention?? Sounds delicious.

Michel6 years ago

Are the boiled eggs shelled?

Xinyu6 years ago

Yes. They actually taste best soaked in the braising liquid overnight, in my opinion, so the flavour permeates most of the whites. When you cut it in half the whites should be a light brown.

Chuck in the Adirondacks6 years ago

I wish you'd tell us how to adapt this recipe to use ingredients that are available in the boonies. I could never find keycap manis in Lake Placid, New York, but I'd love to try this recipe.

SIgne Rendahl6 years ago

Simply go on Amazon and order it.

Caroline6 years ago

You can ,ale your own with soy sauce and brown sugar - just google it! I know there's a recipe at fussfreecooking.com

hfs6 years ago

or, make kecap manis ... there are a number of recipes on the web

Private notes are only visible to you.