Pressed Duck

One of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants here, this Cantonese specialty originated in the north and was brought south at the end of the Ming dynasty in the seventeenth century, when the Manchus took control and many people fled the north.

Simmered and boned, flattened, coated and steamed, then deep-fried, this crunchy duck may be served with a brown sauce and chopped almonds or a sweet and sour sauce with fruits. It does involve several different procedures, but each ma