Ever tried Sichuan roast duck soaked in red broth? The State Guest Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant starts selling it on January 2, 2018.

▲ Sichuan roast duck soaked in red broth. (Photo / Provided by the State Guest Hotel)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Friends who love roast duck probably know that Taiwan has both Peking duck and Cantonese-style sliced duck. However, the State Guest Hotel’s Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant is about to launch “Sichuan Roast Duck Soaked in Red Broth,” set to go on sale on January 2, 2018.

The State Guest Hotel’s Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant visits the birthplace of Sichuan cuisine every year to study classic dishes. Following last season’s offering of the Qing Dynasty imperial dish “Boiled Chinese Cabbage,” which looked like clear water with not a trace of oil, they will launch 11 authentic Sichuan dishes starting January 2, 2018. These include the “Sichuan Roast Duck Soaked in Red Broth,” a unique item available only in Taiwan, which the head chef team learned through apprenticeship.

Nowadays, roast duck is mainly divided into two major styles: Beijing and Cantonese. Peking duck focuses on the original flavor of the duck meat. The duck is inflated to separate the skin from the meat, then the skin is roasted to a crispy, fragrant crispness, while the meat remains tender and juicy under the protective layer of fat. Cantonese-style roast duck involves stuffing the duck cavity with over ten spices such as star anise, red onions, and ginger slices, then hanging it in a charcoal oven to roast. The skin and meat absorb the aromatic spices, resulting in a richer overall flavor.

For the spicy-loving people of Sichuan, their version of roast duck is just as fiery. The chef first prepares the braising broth by stir-frying the duck carcass with scallion whites, dried Sichuan peppercorns, fermented black beans, chili bean paste, and other spices, then seasoning and simmering it in a secondary stock over low heat until the liquid reduces. Red oil and duck fat are added to create the braising broth. Using the Cantonese-style roasting method, the duck is stuffed, oiled, and roasted in a charcoal oven. Once done, part of the roast duck is taken out and soaked in the red oil braising broth, resulting in a well-known street snack in Sichuan.

Used to Peking duck? Sichuan roast duck offers a different flavor experience. The Sichuan roast duck is soaked in a rich, glossy, red-hued sauce, delivering a spicy yet numbingly fragrant taste.