Peking Duck

Preparation time: 130 minutes

1. PREPARATION
   Take the duck out of the fridge one day ahead and let it defrost. Rinse the duck well and take out pins.
2. Bring 4 liters of water to a boil in a big pan. Add a dash of vinegar, then the star anise and garlic.
3. To detach the skin: press your fingers, then your hand below the skin so it detaches from the meat. If you do it carefully, you should be able to detach all skin, except for the sides, without making holes. Remove large pieces of fat.
4. Blanch the duck in boiling water for 30 second. If your pan is too small, you can pour the water over the duck instead. The boiling water will make the skin shrink. The skin will wrap the duck more tightly then. Dry the duck on the inside and the outside with a paper towel.
5. Peel the ginger and cut 5 slices. Slice the onion into 4 parts. Put it aside. Mix the Chinese five-spice powder, sugar, salt, ginger powder, galangal powder, garlic powder and star anise. Rub the inside of the duck with the dry mixture.
6. Fill up the duck with fresh ginger, onion and garlic.
7. Sew up the lower part of the duck with a satay stick.
8. Place the duck on an oven plate and put it in the fridge for one night. The cooled air will dry the skin.
9. Preheat the oven at 160°C. Put the malt sugar in a microwavable bowl and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. This will make the malt sugar more fluid. Add the soy sauce and garlic powder. Stir well until it becomes a syrup.
10. Place the duck on a roasting tray. Roast the duck for 30 minutes with the breast up.
11. Take the duck out of the oven and smear the skin with a layer of malt sugar. Roast for another 30 miniutes. Then flip the duck so the breast is down. Smear the skin with a layer of malt sugar and put it back in the oven to roast it another hour. Remove the fat carefully each time after flipping the duck.
12. Turn up the heat to the highest stand after two hours and grill both sides for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy.