Sticky duck with Chinese pickled radishes
Make the most of this turnip-like vegetable by stir-frying the green leaves and pickling the veg – serve with rich Asian-spiced meat
- Prep:15 mins
Cook:40 mins
Plus pickling - Serves 2
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
- kcal 663
- fat 53g
- saturates 15g
- carbs 20g
- sugars 20g
- fibre 2g
- protein 26g
- salt 3.6g
Ingredients
- 2 bunches radishes, sliced, leaves reserved (see below)
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
- 1 tsp clear honey
- 1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 2 duck breasts
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- leaves from 2 bunches radishes
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp low-salt soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Tip
Healthy benefitsWorthy of more than just adding to salad, radishes are low in calories, full of fibre and a good source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Being a member of the cruciferous family makes them rich in valuable anti-cancer compounds called glucosinolates. Don’t waste the leaves, because they supply calcium and an impressive amount of vitamin C.
Method
Put the radishes in a sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and 2 tsp salt, and leave for at least 30 mins or up to 1 hr. Make a dressing by mixing the vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and chilli together until the sugar dissolves. Gently press the radishes to release any liquid, then tip them into a bowl and pour over the dressing.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the duck, mix the honey, soy, rice wine and vinegar in a small bowl. Slash the skin of the duck breasts and season with salt, pepper and the five-spice powder. Heat an ovenproof frying pan and cook the duck, skin-side down, for 5 mins until golden. Flip over, baste with the honey and soy mix, then put the pan in the oven for 15-20 mins, turning the breasts a couple of times to glaze the skin. Leave the duck in the pan to rest.
For the radish leaves, heat the oil in a small wok, add the leaves and garlic, and stir-fry until the leaves are just wilted. Splash with soy, drizzle with sesame oil and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve the duck breasts whole or sliced – it’s up to you – with the pickled radishes and the stir-fried leaves.