Zacchary Bird
Zacchary Bird
The vegan butcher, the vegan baker and the vegan trouble maker.

This recipe is out of my second cookbook The Vegan Butcher - snazzy second edition out early September 2022!

VEGAN PEKING DUCK

A WHOLE, SLICEABLE MOCK DUCK

FROM THE NOT SO POULTRY CHAPTER

OF THE VEGAN BUTCHER

One of the first meat alternatives, the skins formed on top of soy-milk when heated have been documented as an ingredient used for mock meat since the 16th century in Asia. Bean curd layers transform differently on the outside to crisp and inside to become chewy and fatty, all with one ingredient - a brilliantly simple alternative to duck. If it looks like a duck and tastes like a duck, it just might be well-prepared yuba. Here’s two ways to turn these protein filled sheets into peking style duck.

This recipe has been adapted from The Vegan Butcher, which you can order directly from me, signed, right now!

SHAPING TIP: Instead of tucking the excess yuba underneath, tightly twist the excess end to create ‘legs’, pull each of them around the sides of the body and tuck the ends into the fold of the yuba to approximate the look of a duck. This works best with thin dried yuba that has been rehydrated which gives you the most control over the final shape. If you’re using in pancakes, don’t bother as you’ll slice it up before anyone sees.

SHOPPING TIP: Find peking duck sauce at Asian supermarkets (and check that it’s vegan) or substitute with hoisin, char siu or a glaze of your choice - yuba just wants something to drink up and add flavour. Tian mian jiang paste is a Chinese sweet bean paste with wheat flour as its primary ingredient. Keep your eye out for it during your trip to the Asian supermarket to serve on the side but it’s by no means essential.

QUICK TIP: if in Australia or with access to similar ingredients, replace the duck flavour with a jar of store-bought peking duck sauce mixed with a jar of mushroom XO sauce which can both be found at asian supermarkets and some Woolworths.


INGREDIENTS

  • 150-400g large wet yuba skins (refrigerated soft bean curd sheets) or dehydrated - will vary depending on the thickness and variety you find

    75ml vegan peking duck sauce

    Duck-style Stock

    2-3L chicken-style stock

    1 tablespoon maggi seasoning or soy sauce

    1 tablespoon minced garlic

    Duck Flavour

    2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened

    1 tablespoon shaoxing wine

    2 teaspoons dried porcini powder

    1 teaspoon minced garlic

    1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

    1 teaspoon smoked paprika

    1 teaspoon salt

    ½ teaspoon white pepper

    Dipping Sauce (optional)

    2 tablespoons tian mian jiang paste 

    1 teaspoon sesame oil

    Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

    Combine the duck-style stock ingredients in a wide container.

    Without unfolding, rehydrate the yuba skins in the duck-style stock for 5 minutes, massaging in the liquid until it is fully absorbed and you get a little envious of the pampering. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid and lay on a work surface. (Reserve the leftover stock for another recipe.) 

    Carefully unfold the yuba until you have a large rectangle of layered sheets. Whisk the duck flavour ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Peel back the first sheet of yuba and use a pastry brush to spread the flavour mix over the one underneath. Then carefully peel back that sheet and repeat the process for all the sheets, folding them into the layered rectangle once done. Use the brush to spread 3 tablespoons of peking duck sauce over the top sheet.

    From one corner, begin to tightly roll the sheets up in the direction of the opposing corner, bunching and folding if you need, to create a dense ‘body’ with excess hanging out of two sides. The front of your roast will be smoother and the back will be the side where a fold of yuba runs across the roast. Tuck the excess yuba underneath the roast to complete a rounded shape. Thicker yuba will make this more difficult and less precise.

    Place the roast on the prepared tray, then glaze with the remaining peking duck sauce. Cover the roast with baking paper, then with foil and bake for 60 minutes, before removing the foil and baking paper. If the roast has puffed up, use a skewer to stab in a few holes to release the steam. Glaze occasionally if you’ve got any left. Use the skewer to push the roast back into the shape you desire and bake for a further 10–15 minutes until crisp. 

    Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low heat. When hot, whisk in a splash of water to create a thick sauce and pour into a bowl to serve next to the roast. Cut the baked roast into slices with a bread knife and dish it up or use as the mock meat in Scallion Pancakes.